Gender and attitudes toward nutrition in prospective physicians.

OBJECTIVES: To examine gender differences in attitudes towards nutrition therapy within first- and fourth-year medical students. METHODS: Participants (n = 128) completed a computer self-administered questionnaire assessing attitudes towards nutrition therapy. RESULTS: Analysis of covariance revealed that females report significantly more positive attitudes toward nutrition than males do, controlling for age. The magnitude of the difference was the same in beginning and graduating medical students. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences in attitudes towards nutrition are not moderated by medical school socialization. Standardized nutrition education may be required to address disparities in knowledge, attitudes, and efficacy with regard to nutrition and preventive care measures.

The Importance of Physicians' Nutrition Literacy in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus.

Despite pharmacological advances in diabetes treatment, medical nutrition therapy (MNT) continues to be an essential component of diabetes management. Nonetheless, physicians have missed opportunities to provide nutrition counseling to their patients. This presents a problem because type 2 diabetes is an epidemic with severe consequences that result from non-adherence to nutrition protocols. The goals of this article are: 1) to explore reasons for the continued paucity of nutrition education in medical training programs, 2) to describe how a power educative approach can be used to improve patient outcomes, and 3) to identify considerations for improving nutrition literacy among physicians. These analyses lead to several recommendations for improving nutrition education for physicians.