The Southern Medical Journal (SMJ) is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Medical Association. It has a multidisciplinary and inter-professional focus that covers a broad range of topics relevant to physicians and other healthcare specialists.

SMJ // Article

Perspectives

Nutrition Education in Family Medicine Residency Training

Authors: Jeannie C. Sykes, PhD, MPH, Kehinde Eniola, MD, MPH, Jordan Shirley, DO, Kiersten Mullis, DO

Abstract

Roughly half of American adults suffer from preventable, diet-related chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, and obesity.1 Long-term adverse conditions are associated with obesity,2 but despite a $66 billion weight-loss industry3 and numerous initiatives by both the government and the medical community, obesity remains pervasive. The prevalence of obesity among American adults was nearly 40%, whereas that of children and adolescents was 18.5%, according to the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.4 Healthy People 2020 recommended an obesity prevalence goal of 14.5% among youth and 30.5% among adults.5

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