Medical students’ dietary habits: Motivations and barriers to reaching health goals

• DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1016_23
• Publication Date: 2024-05-23T10:06:32Z
• Authors: Allison O. Dumitr...; Stephanie Tomlinson; Deborah DeWaay; Ricardo F. Izurieta
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; nutrition; 0302 clinical medicine; food; R; Medicine; medical students; Original Article; diet; medical education

A BSTRACT Introduction: It has been well reported that medical students do not follow healthy diets overall. Effectively guiding patients to change their health behavior is a crucial skill for primary care providers and family physicians. Our objective was investigate students’ dietary decision-making, including the motivations barriers influence choices. Methods: self-administered online questionnaire conducted among preclinical at one allopathic school in United States. The survey comprised of questions about goals, habits, they face reaching nutritional ideals. Trends percentage who selected each answer choice were interpreted. Results: Of 363 provided with optional survey, 71 (19.6%) chose participate. participants’ decisions predominately driven by convenience. Most wanted eat nutritiously support well-being but had eating less healthily since starting due financial limitations limited time. Approximately half (46.5%, 33/71) participants stated would buy in-house food campus more often if it better matched 36.6% (26/71) only so new foods affordable compared competitor’s prices. Conclusion: There an opportunity help meet which are negatively impacted personal structural academic barriers. Further research needed on obstacles institutions offering healthy, options students.