Published on Mar. 5, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a new push to get medical schools to teach more about nutrition. Kennedy has spent months pressing schools to increase nutrition education, threatening funding cuts for those that refuse and promising public recognition for those that comply. He has long argued that doctors are undertrained in nutrition, leading to a focus on treating chronic diseases with medication rather than preventing them with diet.
Why it matters
Kennedy’s initiative aims to address the longstanding concern that medical schools do not provide enough nutrition education, which some experts say leads to a greater focus on treating diseases with medication rather than prevention through diet and lifestyle changes.
The details
Fifty-two medical schools have voluntarily agreed to take part in the new initiative, which asks them to review their nutrition training, appoint a faculty member to oversee nutrition education, and create a public page outlining their plans to reach 40 hours of nutrition education for medical students. The initiative is meant to provide a framework for schools to adapt, not mandate a specific curriculum.
In January 2026, Kennedy wrote a letter to universities suggesting 71 topics for nutrition education, including food allergies, dietary supplements, wearable devices, composting and crop rotation.On March 5, 2026, Kennedy announced the new push to get medical schools to teach more about nutrition.
The players
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Health Secretary who has been pushing for medical schools to increase their nutrition education curriculum.
Marion Nestle
A professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University who says doctors need to know how to recognize nutrition problems and refer patients to dietitians.
Adam Gaffney
A critical care physician and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School who supports expanding nutrition curriculums in medical schools, but disagrees with Kennedy’s premise that physicians do not know, care or talk about nutrition.
Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›
What they’re saying
“It would be lovely if doctors knew more about nutrition, but given the way our health care system works — doctors have 15 minutes with patients — I see only two things they really need to know: how to recognize a nutrition problem when a patient needs one (not as easy as it sounds) and even more important, how to refer patients with nutrition problems to a dietitian.”
— Marion Nestle, Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University
“That premise is incorrect. It also misdiagnoses the problem. Americans often eat unhealthily because of financial and time constraints and because unhealthy food is ubiquitous and convenient and cheap.”
— Adam Gaffney, Critical Care Physician and Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
What’s next
The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Medical Colleges are expected to release statements about the new initiative.
The takeaway
Kennedy’s push to increase nutrition education in medical schools aims to address a longstanding concern that doctors are undertrained in this area, which some experts say leads to an over-reliance on medication to treat chronic diseases rather than preventative approaches through diet and lifestyle changes. However, some physicians argue that the root causes of unhealthy eating habits in the U.S. are more complex than just a lack of nutrition knowledge among doctors.
