U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida is leading a bipartisan push to improve nutrition education for future doctors, part of a broader effort by 14 lawmakers urging U.S. medical schools to strengthen their nutrition curricula.
The initiative follows a recent call from the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services and Education for comprehensive nutrition training in medical education.
The Sarasota Republican, along with Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Conn., sent a letter to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education asking how it plans to better incorporate nutrition education and training into medical programs.
“As we work to combat the rising chronic disease epidemic, increased nutrition education is critically important for professionals working in the medical field,” Buchanan said. “We need to ensure that medical practitioners provide patients with the knowledge and resources necessary to help them lead longer, healthier lives.”
McGovern added that many doctors lack the training to properly screen and refer patients for diet-related diseases or food insecurity.
“There is an overwhelming bipartisan consensus that doctors in this country do not receive enough instruction in nutrition,” he said.
Research shows that 75 percent of U.S. medical schools have no required clinical nutrition classes, and only 14 percent of residency programs include a nutrition curriculum. Buchanan and McGovern previously sent a similar letter to the council in April 2024 calling for reforms.
Among the lawmakers to sign the letter was Florida Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Tampa. The group emphasized that better nutrition training could improve patient outcomes, reduce chronic disease, and save the U.S. health care system money.
Buchanan, a long-time advocate for preventive health, has introduced bills to expand telehealth access, improve lung cancer screening, and increase treatment options for Americans with chronic diseases. He called proper nutrition education “essential” for preparing physicians to meet the health needs of the nation.
