As elsewhere, family physicians in Türkiye are in continuing need for general knowledge and proper updates. This is, perhaps, to be expected as the curriculum of medical students and other healthcare professionals is already highly intensive. However, it is important that the potential of balanced nutrition to reduce disease risk and contribute to the maintenance of good health as well as the positive effect on chronic disease management is understood by those who have the potential to make a positive difference. In 2022 the Sabri Ülker Foundation teamed up with the Turkish Federation of Family Physicians Associations (AHEF) to implement a programme of nutrition education for family physicians.
As a first step an online survey was conducted to identify areas where family physicians most feel the lack of knowledge. Based on the feedback of 1,300 respondents, Professor Serhat Ünal MD of Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine and Professor F. Nur Baran Aksakal MD of Gazi University Faculty of Medicine took the lead in developing a programme which has now been the subject of eight online lectures and interactive sessions of two hours. The following subjects have been covered:
- What is included in nutrition? How is it defined?
- What are prebiotics and probiotics? What is their role?
- How can vitamin and mineral levels be monitored? How can deficiencies be identified and rectified?
- Calories versus nutrients. The distinction and its implications
- Nutrient-Drug interactions and their significance in the clinical setting
- What role do food supplements play in health and wellbeing?
- A review of popular diets
- Achieving a healthy lifestyle
A total of some 20,000 family physicians have now followed the sessions. Initial feedback has been consistently excellent. Measuring the long term impact of this programme will, as ever, provide a difficult challenge. However, a questionnaire has been prepared to be sent to a sample of attendees in order to receive their long-term feedback on the programme.
