Challenges And Opportunities For Nutrition Education And Training Among Health Care Professions: An Intraprofessional And Interprofessional Call To Action Across Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, And Nutrition Disciplines

Abstract

Nutrition plays a central role in disease prevention, management, and recovery, yet its integration into the curricula of health care professions remains inconsistent across the globe. Despite growing evidence linking dietary interventions to improved patient outcomes, the majority of health professionals—including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and dietitians—receive limited formal education in nutrition science and counseling skills. This gap undermines the capacity of healthcare teams to deliver holistic and patient-centered care.

This paper explores the current challenges and opportunities associated with nutrition education and training within the health professions. It highlights variations in curricular structures, the lack of interprofessional collaboration, and barriers such as insufficient faculty expertise and institutional support. Conversely, emerging frameworks in competency-based and interprofessional education offer promising pathways to enhance nutrition competencies among healthcare providers.

By examining international and Saudi experiences, this review underscores the need for a unified approach that fosters both intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration. Integrating nutrition competencies into medical, nursing, dental, and pharmacy programs is essential to align with global health priorities and the Saudi Vision 2030 goal of enhancing preventive healthcare and community well-being.