The knowledge of physicians in the field of nutrition mostly lags far behind the patients’ expectations, without complying with official recommendations. However, poor-quality nutrition and diet represent the first cause of mortality worldwide. As a result of insufficient training and poor awareness, many physicians do not meet patients’ expectations. Moreover, nutrition is often perceived as of low scientific value, thereby opening the area to numerous pseudo-scientific errancies. We advocate an overall improvement in nutrition training during the medical cursus, including transversal integration of nutritional insights into medical courses, in addition to the recognition of post-university training validated by academic authorities. A clarification of the roles and recognition of the competency framework are urgently required in order to further promote the professionalism of nutritional counselling.
Key Words
Medical education, obesity, malnutrition, nutritionist, public health