WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nineteen additional medical schools have agreed to require at least 40 hours of nutrition education beginning this fall, expanding a federal initiative that seeks to make nutrition training a more prominent component of physician education amid rising rates of chronic disease.
The announcement, made jointly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education, also included commitments from eight major accrediting, testing and medical education organizations to incorporate stronger nutrition standards into medical education, residency training and physician competency assessments.
Federal officials said the effort is intended to address longstanding concerns that nutrition has received limited emphasis in physician training despite its connection to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
According to HHS, an estimated one million Americans die each year from food-related chronic illnesses, while the nation spends roughly $4.4 trillion annually treating chronic disease and mental health conditions.
The initiative builds on a federal push launched in 2025, when HHS and the Department of Education urged medical organizations to strengthen nutrition education requirements.
A 2022 survey published in the Journal of Wellness found that medical students received an average of 1.2 hours of formal nutrition education annually. Federal officials also cited data showing that, until recently, roughly three-quarters of U.S. medical schools did not require clinical nutrition coursework, while only 14% of residency programs required nutrition curricula.
The eight organizations committing to nutrition-related reforms include the National Board of Medical Examiners, National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, American Board of Medical Specialties, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
The organizations oversee accreditation standards, physician licensing examinations, continuing medical education and residency training programs across the United States.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the initiative reflects a broader effort to place nutrition and disease prevention at the center of healthcare.
“Poor diets are the primary driver of America’s chronic disease epidemic, and today’s announcement reflects the shifting landscape toward placing nutrition and prevention at the core of patient health,” Kennedy said.
Education Under Secretary Nicholas Kent said the initiative is intended to better prepare future physicians while aligning medical education with public health priorities.
The 19 schools joining the Nutrition Education Pledge bring the total number of participating institutions to 73 after 54 schools made similar commitments earlier this year.
New participants include the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, and several osteopathic medical schools across the country.
Under the pledge, participating institutions will require at least 40 hours of nutrition education or implement a competency-based equivalent for students beginning in fall 2026.
The commitments remain voluntary, but federal officials described the effort as part of a broader strategy to incorporate nutrition science into physician training, licensing, continuing education and residency programs nationwide.
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