The viewpoint of a lymphedema clinician on nutrition regarding the evaluation and education of patients diagnosed with lymphedema

This study investigated the extent to which practicing lymphedema clinicians incorporate nutritional assessment and intervention strategies in their treatment protocols. A 13-item questionnaire was distributed to 278 Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) certified specialists in the southeastern United States. The survey examined educational background, nutritional training, scope of practice, and approaches to obesity risk assessment and intervention. Of the 58 respondents (21% response rate), 76% reported that nutrition education falls within their scope of practice, while only 41% received nutritional training during their initial lymphedema certification. The findings suggest a significant gap between clinicians' perceived importance of nutritional intervention and their formal training in this area.