We learn nothing about nutrition, claim medical students

[JohnEGreen]

And don't we know it.

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-43504125

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

A glaring omission in their training, glad they recognise it.

 

[lindisfel]

Probably best way, else they may be brainwashed by the current bunch of 'eat well plate' dieticians! D.

 

[shelley262]

Probably best way, else they may be brainwashed by the current bunch of 'eat well plate' dieticians! D.

That was my first thought and I’m sure that would happen if it was just a set lecture type approach ! But on reading the article I read it as referring more to current thinking and research and approaching it in a less mainstream way. All discussion is helpful and recent nutrition research needs to be brought to the main table.

 

[jackois]

Bearing in mind that most of us as patients have studied nutrition off our own backs, I suspect that there isn't any reason that medical students couldn't do the research theirselves, outwith lecture halls...

... or do they just like to be spoonfed?

 

[Rustytypin]

Interesting that the change seems to be driven by the young students, and not by the entrenched older generation.
I wonder why?

 

[bulkbiker]

Bearing in mind that most of us as patients have studied nutrition off our own backs, I suspect that there isn't any reason that medical students couldn't do the research theirselves, outwith lecture halls...

... or do they just like to be spoonfed?

I would hazard a guess that given they will probably end up with a debt of £45k in tuition fees alone that they would like to be "taught" something. However I do see little point in educating them in ineffective methodologies. I think that the whole area of medical education needs an overhaul and just imagine if everyone in the country cut their carb intake by 20% how many fewer doctors we might actually need.. how much would that save the NHS? £350m per week?

 

[ickihun]

Bearing in mind that most of us as patients have studied nutrition off our own backs, I suspect that there isn't any reason that medical students couldn't do the research theirselves, outwith lecture halls...

... or do they just like to be spoonfed?

Some like to be spoon-fed. Not just student either.

 

[KK123]

I think most people know as much as they need to know about nutrition per se. We all know the good foods versus the bad foods generally speaking, and by that I mean if your choice was between an apple and a doughnut you're better off with the apple, or fresh food over processed, but that only applies to a person with no serious health issues. Once you factor diabetes and many other conditions into it, most people don't know anything.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Bearing in mind that most of us as patients have studied nutrition off our own backs, I suspect that there isn't any reason that medical students couldn't do the research theirselves, outwith lecture halls...

... or do they just like to be spoonfed?

Can we apply that to other professions would you like to travel in an aircraft were the pilot as just perused a how to pilot an airliner for dummies book before taking off.

 

[Jo_the_boat]

Interesting that the change seems to be driven by the young students, and not by the entrenched older generation.
I wonder why?

Good observation - and positive for the future hopefully.

 

[lindisfel]

Yes, your right Shelley, the food programme on R4 today was on doctor training and nutrition as previously noted. I just heard Michael Mosely at the end praising the Med diet!
It is repeated tomorrow afternoon.
D.

That was my first thought and I’m sure that would happen if it was just a set lecture type approach ! But on reading the article I read it as referring more to current thinking and research and approaching it in a less mainstream way. All discussion is helpful and recent nutrition research needs to be brought to the main table.

 

[NicoleC1971]

I think what the med students need to be taught is to be curious and sceptical of any 'laws' . Half of what they are taught will be incorrect after 25 years but nobody can know which half. The same goes for us patients of course.

 

[Tannith]

Dietitians do four years training, in just their own subject. They are there as experts, for the doctors to refer us to. That might be better for us all as it allows the doctors to concentrate on learning doctoring which is a huge and expanding subject in itself.

 

[lucylocket61]

Dietitians do four years training, in just their own subject. They are there as experts, for the doctors to refer us to.

That is true, but with all the cuts, dietitians are in short supply and more and more of their work is being done by doctors and other HCP's.

 

[Daibell]

I think most people know as much as they need to know about nutrition per se. We all know the good foods versus the bad foods generally speaking, and by that I mean if your choice was between an apple and a doughnut you're better off with the apple, or fresh food over processed, but that only applies to a person with no serious health issues. Once you factor diabetes and many other conditions into it, most people don't know anything.

Sadly that often isn't true due to mis-information provided to all of us by many government bodies. We've all been told to have low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt diets when in fact it should be higher-fat, low-carbs and don't worry too much about the salt unless you have high BP. The latter diet is healthy for every well person as well as diabetics.

 

[Daibell]

Dietitians do four years training, in just their own subject. They are there as experts, for the doctors to refer us to. That might be better for us all as it allows the doctors to concentrate on learning doctoring which is a huge and expanding subject in itself.

Can I ask why there are so many posts on these forums from patients who have been given seriously bad diet advice by NHS Dieticians? It may be these represent the minority of interactions with Dieticians and that many are excellent but it's worrying all the same. The BDA website provides some alarmingly bad diet advice.

 

[first14808]

Can I ask why there are so many posts on these forums from patients who have been given seriously bad diet advice by NHS Dieticians? It may be these represent the minority of interactions with Dieticians and that many are excellent but it's worrying all the same. The BDA website provides some alarmingly bad diet advice.

I blame this:-

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/nda100326
The Panel conclusions are summarised below:

• The intake of total carbohydrates - including carbohydrates from starchy foods such as potatoes and pasta, and from simple carbohydrates such as sugars - should range from 45 to 60% of the total energy intake for both adults and children.

Which then got implemented in the UK as the 'Eatwell' plate. But experts from all 28 member states got together and lobbied for the EU's current dietary reference values. So one diet to rule them all, even though there may be large differences in populations that make the 'EU Diet' bad for them.

 

[bulkbiker]

Can I ask why there are so many posts on these forums from patients who have been given seriously bad diet advice by NHS Dieticians? It may be these represent the minority of interactions with Dieticians and that many are excellent but it's worrying all the same. The BDA website provides some alarmingly bad diet advice.

That would of course be the same BDA that has a memorandum of understanding with the vegan society.... No fad diets that miss out entire sources of nutrition there then...
https://www.bda.uk.com/about/workwithus/bda_and_vegan_society_mou

 

[rom35]