Manatee Review

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Vern Buchanan and Congressman James P. McGovern are leading a bipartisan effort to enhance nutrition education in medical schools. The lawmakers, along with a group of seven colleagues, have sent a letter to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) urging the council to take additional steps to better prepare physicians to screen and treat diet-related diseases.

In the letter, Congressman Buchanan emphasized the importance of increased nutrition education for medical professionals, stating, “As we work together to combat the rising obesity epidemic, increased nutrition education is critically important for professionals working in the medical field.”

Rep. James P. McGovern highlighted the lack of proper tools for medical professionals to address food insecurity and diet-related diseases, saying, “For years, I have met with medical students, physicians, and other medical professionals who tell me they aren’t given the right tools to properly screen and refer patients who are food insecure and suffering with diet-related disease.”

Emily Broad Leib, Director of the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, expressed her support for the bipartisan initiative, noting that food and nutrition play a vital role in health and wellness but are often underrepresented in the training of health professionals.

The letter to the ACGME follows a bipartisan resolution adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022, which led to a Summit on Medical Education in Nutrition in March 2023. The lawmakers are seeking to better incorporate nutrition education into graduate medical education and address the lack of training in nutrition in the new program requirements for training in Pediatrics.

The initiative aims to equip medical professionals with the necessary knowledge and resources to help patients lead healthier lives. The bipartisan effort underscores the importance of nutrition education in addressing diet-related diseases and promoting overall wellness in society.