Supporting Better Nutrition Education for Physicians

Last week brought encouraging news. The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education announced a new initiative to mandate nutrition education in medical schools. As advocates for kidney health, we're proud to have joined with other patient and healthcare organizations in signing a letter supporting this critical step forward. This change could transform how doctors understand nutrition's role in kidney care.

The problem with current medical training

For too long, our healthcare system has had a fundamental gap. Nutrition plays a central role in preventing and managing chronic diseases. This is especially true for kidney disease. Yet many doctors receive minimal nutrition training during medical school. This gap has real consequences. For people with kidney disease, diet management isn't just helpful—it can preserve kidney health.  Consider the daily challenges people with kidney disease face:

• Managing hidden phosphorus: Processed foods contain phosphorus additives that can disrupt mineral balance

• Balancing protein needs: Too little protein leads to malnutrition; too much can accelerate kidney decline

• Navigating sodium and potassium: These minerals require careful monitoring

Why people with kidney disease should care

This initiative directly connects to the government’s agenda's goal of "reversing the chronic disease epidemic." For people with kidney disease and those at risk, this couldn't be more relevant. Better nutrition training means:

• Earlier identification of nutritional risk factors before kidney disease progresses

• More comprehensive care by encouraging early referrals to registered dieticians (RDs) who can provide evidence-backed Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to slow kidney disease progression.

• Better integration of nutrition science into treatment plans

• Improved health equity by addressing disparities in kidney disease outcomes

Our commitment to better kidney care

NKF has long advocated for a healthcare system that recognizes food as a form of medicine.

Learn more about our advocacy priorities and take action here. For people with kidney disease, daily food choices directly impact disease progression and quality of life. Having healthcare providers equipped with robust nutrition knowledge isn't a luxury—it's a necessity.

✅Top 3 Takeaways

1. We signed a coalition letter supporting mandatory nutrition education in medical schools

2. Better nutrition training helps all healthcare providers better serve people with kidney disease

3. This initiative could lead to earlier identification of problems and improved outcomes for people with kidney disease