
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Crowley, Jennifer 
A1  - Ball, Lauren 
A1  - Leveritt, Michael 
A1  - Arroll, Bruce 
A1  - Yeo Han, Dug 
A1  - Wall, Clare 
T1  - Impact of an undergraduate course on medical students&#x92; self-perceived nutrition intake and self-efficacy to improve their health behaviours and counselling practices
JF  - Journal of Primary Health Care
JO  - J Prim Health Care
Y1  - 2014
VL  - 6
IS  - 2
SP  - 101
EP  - 107
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/HC14101 
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Doctors are increasingly involved in the management of chronic disease and counsel patients about their lifestyle behaviours, including nutrition, to improve their health outcomes. AIM: This study aimed to assess the impact of a medical undergraduate course containing nutrition content on medical students&#x92; self-perceived nutrition intake and self-efficacy to improve their health behaviours and counselling practices. METHODS: A total of 239 medical students enrolled in a 12-week nutrition-related course at The University of Auckland were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire before and after the course. The questionnaire was adapted from a previous evaluation of a preventive medicine and nutrition course at Harvard Medical School. RESULTS: Sixty-one medical students completed both pre- and post-course questionnaires (25.5%). At baseline, medical students described their eating habits to be more healthy than non-medical students (p=0.0261). Post-course, medical students reported a higher frequency of wholegrain food intake (p=0.0229). Medical students also reported being less comfortable making nutrition recommendations to family and friends post-course (p=0.008). Most medical students (63.9%) perceived increased awareness of their own dietary choices, and some (15.3%) reported an increased likelihood to counsel patients on lifestyle behaviour post-course. DISCUSSION: Students can increase awareness of their own nutrition behaviour after undertaking a course that includes nutrition in the initial phase of their medical degree. Further investigation of how medical students&#x92; confidence to provide nutrition advice evolves throughout their training and in future practice is required. KEYWORDS: Exercise; health behavior; medical education; nutritional sciences 
ER  -

