Assessment of the knowledge on nutrology among medical course students: an observational cross-sectional study

Introduction: An unbalanced diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor, including smoking. By definition, Nutrology is the medical specialty whose function is to prevent, diagnose and treat nutroneurometabolic diseases. As it is a relatively new specialty, it has not yet become part of the basic curriculum as a mandatory subject in most medical schools. This fact means that students have little or no contact with the specialty during their academic training. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge on Nutrology among medical students. Methods: An observational and cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the knowledge of students enrolled in the Ugraft Journey of the Plastic Surgery Leagues of Rio Grande do Sul. Data collection took place through the application of an online questionnaire comprising 14 questions. Results: A total of 170 participants spanning across all semesters of the course, representing 7 universities (UFSM, UFCSPA, UFN, UFAL, Unoeste, Univates, and Unijuí). The participants were aged between 18 and 43 years old, 114 were female and 56 were male. In regard to the question of which course Nutrology is a part of, 84.1% answered Medicine, 14.7% answered Nutrition, and 1.2% answered another course. Additionally, 67.6% stated that they do not know or are not sure about the area of activity of Nutrology, while only 17.6% have already consulted a Nutrologist. Concerning the significance of dietary guidance and supplementation during the pre- and post-operative phases of surgery, 98.2% deemed it advantageous for the patient. When it came to distinguishing between the various indications for oral dietary supplementation, enteral, or parenteral therapy, 74.7% did not know how to differentiate them. Regarding the safety of prescribing a food supplement, 90% do not feel able to do so. As for the meaning of the acronym MNTT, 93% are unaware. Regarding obesity being a chronic disease, 92.4% agreed. Regarding the desire to undertake a residency in Nutrology, 12.9% expressed interest. Finally, regarding the importance of the subject of Nutrology in the curriculum, 94% considered it important. Conclusion: Despite the increasing prevalence of nutrition-related diseases and the evidence showing that poor diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor, studies have observed that the majority of medical students feel unprepared regarding the subject. The findings of this study could serve as motivation for institutions to reconsider the significance of incorporating the discipline of Nutrology into the medical curriculum.