Nutrition dentistry,
training within and pharmacy
An international panel of experts in nutrition training in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy met in Vevey, Switzerland on May 12 to 13, 1977. They discussed the matter, exchanged views and experience, and reached a series of conclusions and recommendations. The text of the recommendations is attached as Appendix 1 and the list of participants as Appendix 2. Inadequate knowledge by most physicians in basic and applied nutrition all over the world Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the role of correct nutrition on health and they generally consider physicians as the most knowledgeable advisors in the field. There was, however, unanimous consensus among the members of the panel that most physicians (and dentists and pharmacists) do not have sufficient knowledge of nutrition in clinical and preventive medicine, bearing in mind that they should be advisors in the prophylaxis and therapy of the many nutrition linked diseases. Proposals by better
for the nutrition
Medical
faculties
improvement training
of knowledge
Each Faculty should have a person whose first preoccupation is nutrition, possibly a holder of a chair in nutrition. International and national organizations such as the ministries concerned or academic institutions might help to implement such plans. Nutrition teaching at Faculties of Medicine should include the following: 1) In the basic sciences, to present biological facts related to nutrition. This could be carried out through liason between the pro1526
TheAmerican
Journal
of Clinical
Nutrition
of a meeting
medicine,
fessor lated
in nutrition and his colleagues in refields. 2) Teaching of clinical science and public health could be handled in the same way, especially where preventive and therapeutic diets are required. 3) It would be an advantage if professors of nutrition personally taught on metabolic diseases and nutrition in general. 4) Such teaching has to be included in an examination in order to be effective. There are several ways of teaching nutrition. The extent to which professors of internal medicine, pediatrics, and preventive medicine share the subject (jointly with their preclinical colleagues) is of secondary importance. The best possible solution probably depends on the local situation. The unitarian system (one department or chair of nutrition) as well as the joint venture system (multidisciplinary cooperation) both have their advantages and snags. Most important is that the bulk of nutrition is taught by the scientist who is the best qualified and most motivated, i.e., the one who “sells” the subject best. In order to facilitate implementation of the above, the panel put forward the following proposals: 1) make general practitioners more aware of the value of nutrition in medicine; 2) persuade clinicians to include a nutrition question in final examinations; 3) encourage clinical nutrition research in medical schools and so make clinicians aware of the importance and usefulness of nutrition. Dentistry Up to now teaching of nutrition is not compulsory, and examination of nutrition is generally not mandatory for obtaining the diploma or degree. Obviously in the control
31: SEPTEMBER
1978, pp. 1526-1528.
Printed in U.S.A.
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/31/9/1526/4650713 by University of California, San Francisco user on 01 January 2019
report
REPORT
OF
Pharmacy A pharmacist who is well-trained in nutrition will be of significant help to hospital physicians and general practitioners in the proper use of dietary foods and nutrient supplements. Training of nutrition at an academic level will also prevent pharmacists giving advice outside his competence. The introduction of nutrition in the curriculum of schools of pharmacy should therefore be encouraged, at least in those countries where pharmacists obtain an academic training. Long-term
plans
Long-term plans should be devoted to actions which: 1) Change the attitudes towards and the knowledge of nutrition among all healthprofessionals with whom the medical, dental and pharmacy students come into contact during their studies. 2) Stimulate the practical application of scientifically based nutritional principles within the environment of the medical students (e.g., nurses, kitchen staff, etc.). 3) Encourage public debate so that it will promote the development of healthy habits. 4) Stimulate increased scientific research, in cooperation with clinicians, in the relationship between diet and disease and in the possibilities of preventing, alleviating and curing diseases with the aid of diet. 5) Approach IUNS, especially its Commission V so that it should develop programs which consider, not only the students’ curricula, but which also deal with measures required to make the curricula applicable to the students’ everyday lives as physicians, dentists or pharmacists. 6) Encourage the nutrition scientist to disseminate his knowledge to laymen in very simple but correct terms, not only through personal contact but also using the mass media, some control of which can be obtained through Nutrition Foundations or other sim-
MEETING
ilar
1527
organizations
7) Improve
the
such as Nutrition nutritional status
Councils. in differ-
ent
countries. All members of the panel declared their willingness to use their influence in order to do their best for an improvement in the training and education in nutrition. Appendix
1
Recommendations
of the panel
of experts
An international panel of experts (the names are attached as Appendix 2) in nutrition training in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy met in Vevey, Switzerland on l2th-l3th May 1977. They made the following recommendations: 1) That organisations such as WHO, UNESCO, FAO, should frequently issue recommendations to those concerned with training, of the importance of nutrition and the need to constantly update and improve the standards of such training. 2) To propose to IUNS that they should consider supporting item 1 and that they should arrange a meeting of a joint committee of the commission concerned, at the next International Congress of Nutrition. 3) That Nutrition Foundations should consider the possibility of an International Nutrition Foundation embracing the regional foundations, where present, and encourage the formation of foundations in those regions where they currently do not exist. 4) That IUNS recognise those Faculties where nutrition training merits such recognition. This may encourage greater endeavour in nutrition training and could also assist in the award of research grants. 5) That IUNS give official support to a regional person involved in training medical, dental and/or pharmacy students in order that he may encourage other colleagues in his region to become more active in nutrition training. 6) That articles of clinical nutritional interest appear regularly and frequently in publications read by general practitioners in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy and that these be the responsibility of the IUNS regionally appointed person. 7) That clinical nutrition be recognised as a medical specialty in its own right and the precise title be decided
locally.
Appendix List
2
of participants
Prof Dr. it#{228}t Bern,
Hugo Aebi, Med.-Chem. B#{252}hlstr. 28, CH-3012
Prof Dr. Hans-D. Ern#{228}hrungswissenschaft helmstr. 20, D-6300 Prof Dr. D. it#{233} de Nancy,
Institut
der
Univers-
Bern.
Cremer
(Co-Chairman), Institut I d.Justus Liebig-Univ., Giessen, FRG.
Debry, Department 40 Rue Lionnois,
de Nutrition F-54000 Nancy.
f#{252}r Wil-
Univers-
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/31/9/1526/4650713 by University of California, San Francisco user on 01 January 2019
of dental caries improved nutrition will have an enormous preventive effect. Nutrition teaching should, therefore, also be made compulsory for dental students, using official bodies, governments, etc., to bring about this change.
A
1528
REPORT
Prof. of Medicine, UniversiPreto, CEP 14.10, Ribeirao
Prof Dr. Flaminio Fidanza (Co-Chairman), Universita degli studi di Perugia, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Alimentari e Nutritione, Casella Postale 333, I06100 Perugia. Prof Dr. Bjurn dalskhinikerna, borg,
Isaksson, Sahlgrenska
Inst.
Klin. sjukhuset,
N#{228}ringsl#{228}ra AnneS-41345 G#{246}te-
Sweden.
Prof Dr. K G. Konig, Medical Faculty Univ.
Institute of Preventive of Nijmegen, Nijmegen,
Dentistry Holland.
A
MEETING
Prof Dr. Ian Macdonald, Guy’s Hospital Medical England. Prof Dr. Jean CH-1800 Veney, Dr. H. Schweiz. Prof schung,
R.
Muller,
Dr. J. Seestr.
Prof Dr. Nesterov
Mauron, Schweiz.
Department of School, London,
Research
Nestl#{233}Ahimentana,
C. Somogyi, 72, CH-8803
Physiology, SEI 9 RT,
Laboratories
CH-1800
Nestl#{233},
Vevey,
Institut f#{252}r Ern#{228}hrungsforR#{252}schlikon, Zurich.
Tasho Tashev, Institute 15, Sofia, Bulgarien.
of Nutrition,
Boul
D
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/31/9/1526/4650713 by University of California, San Francisco user on 01 January 2019
Dr. J. E. Dutra de Oliveira, dade de Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto/Brasil.
OF
training within and pharmacy
An international panel of experts in nutrition training in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy met in Vevey, Switzerland on May 12 to 13, 1977. They discussed the matter, exchanged views and experience, and reached a series of conclusions and recommendations. The text of the recommendations is attached as Appendix 1 and the list of participants as Appendix 2. Inadequate knowledge by most physicians in basic and applied nutrition all over the world Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the role of correct nutrition on health and they generally consider physicians as the most knowledgeable advisors in the field. There was, however, unanimous consensus among the members of the panel that most physicians (and dentists and pharmacists) do not have sufficient knowledge of nutrition in clinical and preventive medicine, bearing in mind that they should be advisors in the prophylaxis and therapy of the many nutrition linked diseases. Proposals by better
for the nutrition
Medical
faculties
improvement training
of knowledge
Each Faculty should have a person whose first preoccupation is nutrition, possibly a holder of a chair in nutrition. International and national organizations such as the ministries concerned or academic institutions might help to implement such plans. Nutrition teaching at Faculties of Medicine should include the following: 1) In the basic sciences, to present biological facts related to nutrition. This could be carried out through liason between the pro1526
TheAmerican
Journal
of Clinical
Nutrition
of a meeting
medicine,
fessor lated
in nutrition and his colleagues in refields. 2) Teaching of clinical science and public health could be handled in the same way, especially where preventive and therapeutic diets are required. 3) It would be an advantage if professors of nutrition personally taught on metabolic diseases and nutrition in general. 4) Such teaching has to be included in an examination in order to be effective. There are several ways of teaching nutrition. The extent to which professors of internal medicine, pediatrics, and preventive medicine share the subject (jointly with their preclinical colleagues) is of secondary importance. The best possible solution probably depends on the local situation. The unitarian system (one department or chair of nutrition) as well as the joint venture system (multidisciplinary cooperation) both have their advantages and snags. Most important is that the bulk of nutrition is taught by the scientist who is the best qualified and most motivated, i.e., the one who “sells” the subject best. In order to facilitate implementation of the above, the panel put forward the following proposals: 1) make general practitioners more aware of the value of nutrition in medicine; 2) persuade clinicians to include a nutrition question in final examinations; 3) encourage clinical nutrition research in medical schools and so make clinicians aware of the importance and usefulness of nutrition. Dentistry Up to now teaching of nutrition is not compulsory, and examination of nutrition is generally not mandatory for obtaining the diploma or degree. Obviously in the control
31: SEPTEMBER
1978, pp. 1526-1528.
Printed in U.S.A.
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/31/9/1526/4650713 by University of California, San Francisco user on 01 January 2019
report
REPORT
OF
Pharmacy A pharmacist who is well-trained in nutrition will be of significant help to hospital physicians and general practitioners in the proper use of dietary foods and nutrient supplements. Training of nutrition at an academic level will also prevent pharmacists giving advice outside his competence. The introduction of nutrition in the curriculum of schools of pharmacy should therefore be encouraged, at least in those countries where pharmacists obtain an academic training. Long-term
plans
Long-term plans should be devoted to actions which: 1) Change the attitudes towards and the knowledge of nutrition among all healthprofessionals with whom the medical, dental and pharmacy students come into contact during their studies. 2) Stimulate the practical application of scientifically based nutritional principles within the environment of the medical students (e.g., nurses, kitchen staff, etc.). 3) Encourage public debate so that it will promote the development of healthy habits. 4) Stimulate increased scientific research, in cooperation with clinicians, in the relationship between diet and disease and in the possibilities of preventing, alleviating and curing diseases with the aid of diet. 5) Approach IUNS, especially its Commission V so that it should develop programs which consider, not only the students’ curricula, but which also deal with measures required to make the curricula applicable to the students’ everyday lives as physicians, dentists or pharmacists. 6) Encourage the nutrition scientist to disseminate his knowledge to laymen in very simple but correct terms, not only through personal contact but also using the mass media, some control of which can be obtained through Nutrition Foundations or other sim-
MEETING
ilar
1527
organizations
7) Improve
the
such as Nutrition nutritional status
Councils. in differ-
ent
countries. All members of the panel declared their willingness to use their influence in order to do their best for an improvement in the training and education in nutrition. Appendix
1
Recommendations
of the panel
of experts
An international panel of experts (the names are attached as Appendix 2) in nutrition training in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy met in Vevey, Switzerland on l2th-l3th May 1977. They made the following recommendations: 1) That organisations such as WHO, UNESCO, FAO, should frequently issue recommendations to those concerned with training, of the importance of nutrition and the need to constantly update and improve the standards of such training. 2) To propose to IUNS that they should consider supporting item 1 and that they should arrange a meeting of a joint committee of the commission concerned, at the next International Congress of Nutrition. 3) That Nutrition Foundations should consider the possibility of an International Nutrition Foundation embracing the regional foundations, where present, and encourage the formation of foundations in those regions where they currently do not exist. 4) That IUNS recognise those Faculties where nutrition training merits such recognition. This may encourage greater endeavour in nutrition training and could also assist in the award of research grants. 5) That IUNS give official support to a regional person involved in training medical, dental and/or pharmacy students in order that he may encourage other colleagues in his region to become more active in nutrition training. 6) That articles of clinical nutritional interest appear regularly and frequently in publications read by general practitioners in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy and that these be the responsibility of the IUNS regionally appointed person. 7) That clinical nutrition be recognised as a medical specialty in its own right and the precise title be decided
locally.
Appendix List
2
of participants
Prof Dr. it#{228}t Bern,
Hugo Aebi, Med.-Chem. B#{252}hlstr. 28, CH-3012
Prof Dr. Hans-D. Ern#{228}hrungswissenschaft helmstr. 20, D-6300 Prof Dr. D. it#{233} de Nancy,
Institut
der
Univers-
Bern.
Cremer
(Co-Chairman), Institut I d.Justus Liebig-Univ., Giessen, FRG.
Debry, Department 40 Rue Lionnois,
de Nutrition F-54000 Nancy.
f#{252}r Wil-
Univers-
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/31/9/1526/4650713 by University of California, San Francisco user on 01 January 2019
of dental caries improved nutrition will have an enormous preventive effect. Nutrition teaching should, therefore, also be made compulsory for dental students, using official bodies, governments, etc., to bring about this change.
A
1528
REPORT
Prof. of Medicine, UniversiPreto, CEP 14.10, Ribeirao
Prof Dr. Flaminio Fidanza (Co-Chairman), Universita degli studi di Perugia, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Alimentari e Nutritione, Casella Postale 333, I06100 Perugia. Prof Dr. Bjurn dalskhinikerna, borg,
Isaksson, Sahlgrenska
Inst.
Klin. sjukhuset,
N#{228}ringsl#{228}ra AnneS-41345 G#{246}te-
Sweden.
Prof Dr. K G. Konig, Medical Faculty Univ.
Institute of Preventive of Nijmegen, Nijmegen,
Dentistry Holland.
A
MEETING
Prof Dr. Ian Macdonald, Guy’s Hospital Medical England. Prof Dr. Jean CH-1800 Veney, Dr. H. Schweiz. Prof schung,
R.
Muller,
Dr. J. Seestr.
Prof Dr. Nesterov
Mauron, Schweiz.
Department of School, London,
Research
Nestl#{233}Ahimentana,
C. Somogyi, 72, CH-8803
Physiology, SEI 9 RT,
Laboratories
CH-1800
Nestl#{233},
Vevey,
Institut f#{252}r Ern#{228}hrungsforR#{252}schlikon, Zurich.
Tasho Tashev, Institute 15, Sofia, Bulgarien.
of Nutrition,
Boul
D
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/31/9/1526/4650713 by University of California, San Francisco user on 01 January 2019
Dr. J. E. Dutra de Oliveira, dade de Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto/Brasil.
OF
