From Consumption to Consequence: Unveiling Leadership Failures in Medical Nutrition Education

June 23, 2026

From Consumption to Consequence: Unveiling Leadership Failures in Medical Nutrition Education

Honeyfield Fellyx | 2025

Abstract

Despite mounting scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of plant-based diets in preventing and reversing chronic diseases, most medical schools in the United States continue to offer minimal, if any, formal training in nutrition—let alone plant-based nutrition. This omission is not benign; it is a critical oversight that contributes to the ongoing public health crisis marked by rising rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other preventable illnesses. This doctoral project investigates the systemic, economic, and cultural reasons behind the deliberate neglect of plant-based nutrition in medical education, framing it not as a gap in knowledge but as a strategic failure in healthcare leadership. Drawing from policy analysis, institutional review, and scholarly research, this study reveals how the intersection of industry influence, institutional inertia, and medical tradition has shaped curricula to favor pharmaceutical solutions over nutritional prevention. The findings of this study advocate for urgent curricular reform and strategic leadership that embraces nutrition as a central pillar of medical competence. This work calls for a paradigm shift that empowers future physicians to lead with evidence, ethics, and a commitment to sustainable health by repositioning plant-based nutrition as a foundational science rather than an elective topic. The implications extend beyond academia, challenging healthcare institutions, policymakers, and educators to reimagine medical training as a proactive force for population health.

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