Abstract
Background: This paper provides an overview of capacity-building efforts in the context of nutrition education for medical and healthcare professionals.
Methods: Content analysis of eighteen reports related to nutrition education and capacity building, and interviews with key personnel from the WHO and NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health were synthesised. Recommendations to improve nutrition education and subsequent nutrition capacity of healthcare professionals were identified based on policy guidance and interviews.
Findings: Most included documents noted the importance of nutrition education and capacity building for medical and healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals and the 'health sector' were positioned as central to achieving improved public health, and the promotion of nutrition knowledge and awareness in the general population.
Conclusion: Increased focus on nutrition education and capacity of the health workforce are key to improvements in population health and well-being. The WHO is well placed to support global nutrition education.
Recommendations: Key recommendations from the literature review and interviews include improved global data collection mechanisms, a pledge from governments to prioritise nutrition education and capacity building, along with implementation of standardised nutrition curricula for all healthcare sectors. This would include the development and expansion of on-line resources.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 000354 |
| Pages (from-to) | 106-117 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 16 Feb 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - 22 Jun 2022 |
Bibliographical note
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.Funding Information:
We would like to thank the WHO Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, especially, Francesco Branca (Director), Felicetta Catanzaro, Kaia Engesveen, Fabienne Maertens, Lina Mahy, Thahira Mustafa, Kuntal Saha, Simona Seravesi & Juan Pablo Pena-Rosas. We would like to acknowledge the support of WHO Chief Scientist, Soumya Swaminathan for including feedback in the pre-final presentation of this work. We also acknowledge additional WHO colleagues including Diana Estevez for helpful comments and Christine Yvonne Tretter from the WHO Global Internship Programme for organising a linked development workshop. We would like to acknowledge key contributions from the following members of the NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health: Suzana Almoosawi, Matheus Abrantes, Preya Amin, Eleanor Beck, Iain Broadley, Luke Buckner, Dominic Crocombe, Timothy M Eden, Emily Fallon, Rajna Golubic, Duleni Herath, Ally Jaffee, Celia Laur, Dionysia Angeliki Lyra, Elaine MacAninch, Kathy Martyn, Sucheta Mitra and Claudia Mitrofan. We would like to acknowledge UK research and innovation (Medical Research Council) and the NNEdPro Global Centre for funding support. We would also like to acknowledge the University of Wollongong, Australia for contribution of doctoral student input.
Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Keywords
- malnutrition
