The effectiveness of a nutrition education program for family practice residents conducted by a family practice resident-dietitian.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Despite current interest in the role of diet in disease prevention, physicians frequently lack adequate nutrition knowledge. This project sought to test family practice residents' nutrition knowledge, heighten their understanding of nutrition concepts, and implement a method of teaching nutrition in a residency program.

METHODS

Following a pretest, family practice residents participated in four teaching sessions during a 5-month period conducted by a fellow resident who was also a dietitian. The residents were asked to keep a 3-day diet diary, which was analyzed with nutrition analysis software. A posttest measure changes in nutrition knowledge and interest. Pretests and posttests were also given to a control group of residents at another campus of the same university-administered program.

RESULTS

The intervention group's mean scores increased from 54.7% to 70% (P<.001). Residents who kept a diet diary increased their scores by 23.5%, compared with a 7.4% increase for those who did not. Scores for control-group residents who took both pretests and posttests fell from 43.4% to 42.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Residents who attended lectures conducted by a family practice resident- dietitian and examined their diets showed remarkable improvement in posttest scores of nutrition knowledge. Factors most influential in increasing residents' nutrition knowledge include increasing residents' interest in nutrition, involving them in a longitudinal series of lectures, and providing support for their knowledge and its application.