Introduction to Food and Health

We find ourselves facing global epidemics of obesity and diabetes. To address these public health crises, we urgently need to explore innovative educational strategies for physicians and the general public. Physicians who eat a healthy, balanced diet and who understand what that entails, are more effective at counseling their patients to improve their health behaviors.

This CME activity provides a practical approach to supporting healthy eating for a variety of medical needs. Through the use of didactic videos, animated cases, and interactive activities course participants will gain proficiency in recommending well-established nutritional practices and assessing barriers to healthy eating for patients and physicians alike. By evaluating personal eating behaviors and barriers to healthy eating, physicians will emerge from the course better equipped to support sustainable positive change in their patients' food choices while simultaneously having an opportunity to embark on optimizing their own nutritional health.

Intended Audience

This course is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians in primary care, family practice, and internal medicine as well as nurse practitioners, physician assistants and allied health professionals involved in nutritional assessment and education of patients.

Learning Objectives

Describe the fundamental principles of nutrition.
Conduct a motivational interview and nutritional assessment in a primary care setting using evidence-based techniques and tools.
Formulate a strategy based on a nutritional assessment to improve their health and their patients' health.
Guide patients and themselves through iterative, targeted goals to improve nutrition and health outcomes.
Provide patients with skills-based learning resources to support their achievement of targeted nutrition goals.