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AACE urges more training in nutrition, health promotion
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The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists has released a new position statement on clinical nutrition and health promotion, emphasizing a need for training and enhanced recognition of patients’ clinical nutrition.
“At a time when the prevalence of nutrition-related illnesses is escalating significantly, both with ambulatory and hospitalized patients, many medical societies are reporting an inadequate number of physician members trained in this important specialty,” M. Molly McMahon, MD, FACE, chairof the AACE Nutrition Committee, and professor of medicine with Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minn., in the division of endocrinology, metabolism, diabetes, nutrition and internal medicine, said in a press release.
“Healthy nutrition is important for health promotion, disease prevention and disease treatment. We wish to develop focused nutrition education for endocrinologists, highlight the value of physician nutrition expertise, and address barriers in clinical nutrition practices to enhance clinical outcomes,” McMahon said.
According to the AACE position statement, McMahon and colleagues identify a four-part approach to address the disparities in this arena:
- Coordination of nutrition education at various levels of medical training and practice;
- Recognition of expertise in clinical nutrition through certification;
- Collaboration with medical and surgical societies and government entities to address the problem of physician shortages in clinical nutrition; and
- Medical community recognition of the importance of physician-directed nutrition practices.
The researchers said there is a shortage of physicians who are experts in clinical nutrition and widespread overnutrition and undernutrition that threatens the health care system. However, endocrinologists with specialties in metabolism can be trained in nutritional medicine to provide expert care to patients.
Disclosure: See the AACE Nutrition Position Statement for a full list of disclosures.
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