HHS under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is opening a path for nutrition-centered prevention policy, with more than 50 medical schools in 30-plus states committing to at least 40 hours of nutrition education starting this fall. For clinicians, the shift could mean more training, new CMS billing opportunities for nutrition and exercise screening, and stronger support for managing obesity, heart disease, and Diabetes mellitus (DM) before complications escalate.

The Move

• The Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative is pushing nutrition, lifestyle, and prevention higher in federal health policy.

• HHS says more than 50 medical schools have agreed to require at least 40 hours of nutrition education, or equivalent competency standards, beginning this fall.

• Secretary Kennedy also directed CMS to incorporate nutrition more directly into care, including possible billing codes for nutrition and exercise screening, healthy hospital food efforts, and prevention-focused demonstration models.

Why it Matters for Care

• Many medical students still report getting less than two hours of nutrition teaching across four years, despite rising rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and DM.

• Better physician training could improve counseling on diet and metabolic health, earlier prevention, and more appropriate referrals to dietitians and nutrition professionals.

• If CMS follows through, clinicians may eventually have clearer reimbursement pathways for screening and preventive counseling tied to nutrition and lifestyle.

Between the Lines

• The policy push reflects a broader political shift toward prevention as a way to curb an estimated $1.1 trillion in annual health care spending linked to poor nutrition.

• It also aligns with consumer demand for more lifestyle-focused care and with the administration’s effort to make chronic disease policy a visible political issue.

• Nutrition policy is extending beyond clinics and campuses into dietary guidance, hospital food standards, and even SNAP waiver debates over sugary drinks and candy.

What to Watch

• Whether CMS formally proposes or pilots new billing codes and demonstration models tied to nutrition and exercise screening.

• How many additional medical schools adopt the 40-hour standard, and whether accrediting, licensing, and certification bodies embed nutrition into professional requirements.

• Whether more states follow Iowa, Texas, and Louisiana with licensure or medical school mandates, and whether Congress advances the community health center nutrition bill.

Source: RealClearHealth