Academy Statement: HHS and Department of Education Launch Advancing Nutrition Education Across the Medical Continuum Initiative

March 5, 2026 - Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education announced the "Advancing Nutrition Education Across the Medical Continuum Initiative." As noted in the HHS press release, 53 medical schools "will provide at least 40 hours of nutrition education, or implement a 40-hour competency equivalent, for students starting in the fall of 2026."

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics welcomes the administration's focus on strengthening nutrition education in medical training and elevating the role of nutrition in preventing and managing disease. The Academy and registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), the nation's foremost nutrition experts, are eminently qualified to drive this effort and stand ready to serve as a resource for medical schools and health leaders to advance this initiative.

Collaboration with RDNs to develop and deliver nutrition education will further equip physicians to accurately identify complex nutrition‑related needs and confidently determine when patients require the specialized assessment, intervention and ongoing management that only an RDN can provide as an essential member of the health care team.

RDNs complete extensive undergraduate and graduate-level education in advanced food and nutrition science, medical nutrition therapy, community and public health nutrition, disease prevention and food systems, along with 1,000 hours of supervised practice. This training prepares them to assess and diagnose nutrition-related conditions, deliver evidence-based medical nutrition therapy, provide counseling for complex health needs, develop public health nutrition interventions and contribute to research that advances nutrition science and informs policy and practice.

Ensuring patients have access to highly trained RDNs is essential for improving health outcomes, reducing the burden of chronic disease and lowering health care costs through RDN-led nutrition interventions that prevent and manage chronic conditions. As national leaders continue to prioritize nutrition in health care, supporting the education and training pipeline for RDNs is essential.

The Academy has called on the U.S. Department of Education to recognize nutrition and dietetics as a professional degree, ensuring students pursuing careers as RDNs have equitable access to federal student aid and that the nation maintains a strong, highly trained nutrition workforce. The Academy is ready to work in collaboration to achieve our common goals of expanding access to nutrition care for all individuals and reducing the burden of chronic and acute diseases across the United States.