title: Nutrition knowledge and practices of physicians in a family-practice residency program: the effect of an education program provided by a physician nutrition specialist.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a nutrition-education program provided by a physician nutrition specialist in a family-practice residency program on residents' and faculty members' nutrition knowledge and nutrition-related patient care, their patients' perceptions of the importance of nutrition, and the physicians' dietary patterns. The nutrition specialist provided recommendations for nutrition patient-care practices to the physicians for 6 mo. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included 1) nutrition exams for physicians and patients, 2) patient questionnaires concerning attitudes towards nutrition, 3) chart reviews, and 4) diet records for physicians. The educational intervention caused a small but statistically significant (P < 0.01) increase in physicians' nutrition-knowledge scores and a significantly higher (P < 0.05) frequency of physicians discussing nutrition and recommending diets for their patients. Effects were greater among residents than among faculty members. The results suggest that a physician nutrition specialist can provide effective nutrition education within a residency program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lazarus
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Weinsier
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Boker
mesh_terms: D015930:Diet Records; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010820:Physicians; D013038:Specialization