Nothing is ever easy in the United States. Restoring some semblance of nutrition guidelines and instruction is considered an act of rebellion. So, the medical community dumped it all. Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, it’s back with no small amount of grumbling, highlighted by the click-happy media.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new push Thursday to get medical schools to teach more about nutrition.
Kennedy has spent months pressuring schools to increase nutrition education, threatening funding cuts for those who refuse and promising public recognition for those who comply. He has long argued that doctors are undertrained in nutrition, leading to a focus on treating chronic diseases with medication rather than preventing them with diet, an approach that some experts say is oversimplified.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Kennedy wrote a letter to universities in January suggesting 71 topics, including food allergies, dietary supplements, wearable devices, composting, and crop rotation. NBC News has not reviewed the letter.
Fifty-two medical schools have voluntarily agreed to take part in the new initiative, senior Department of Health and Human Services officials told reporters on a call Wednesday. The officials declined to identify the schools and told reporters to expect statements from the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Medical Colleges, which creates the MCAT exam for medical school admission.
They asked schools to review the amount of nutrition training they provide, appoint a faculty member to oversee it, and create a public page outlining how they plan to deliver 40 hours of nutrition education to medical students.
It can’t stop at medical schools. Children should have some basic information and know how specific foods affect health.
.@EDSecMcMahon and I announced that, starting this fall, 53 medical schools across 31 states will deliver at least 40 hours of nutrition education during undergraduate medical training.
This landmark reform will transform medical education, equip future physicians to prevent and… pic.twitter.com/IlvxOZvDlz
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) March 6, 2026
“RFK Kennedy Jr. Resuscitates Nutrition Education”
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