Analysis of Nutrition Education in Osteopathic Medical Schools
Table 1
Nutrition instruction hours in various contexts at US colleges of osteopathic medicine that required nutrition education during the 2012/2013 academic year*.
Course/context
Nutrition
Integrated
Biochemistry
Physiology
Clinical practice
Number of schools
4
16
12
6
7
Number of hours of nutrition instruction in this context, average (SD)
14.0 (8.8)
16.3 (12.3)
6.9 (5.6)
3.3 (1.8)
4.1 (2.9)
Total 4-year nutrition curriculum hours at schools using nutrition instruction in this form, average (SD)
16.5 (10.0)
20.7 (12.8)
16.0 (7.0)
15.8 (8.0)
22.2 (19.2)
Percentage of total instruction provided in that context, average (SD)
79 (25)
74 (27)
49 (34)
31 (25)
18 (8)
*26/30 colleges of osteopathic medicine responded to a survey that began in 2012. Most schools that provided nutrition education did so in more than one type of course or context. SD indicates standard deviation.
