Healthy Dietary Advice in Clinical Practice: Recommendations for Family Physicians

Family physicians can provide helpful dietary advice that is efficient and uncomplicated. Key themes include emphasizing whole foods that are primarily made from plants, limiting ultra-processed products, and flexibility to accommodate taste preferences and familiar foods. Healthy eating can be achieved across a range of dietary patterns, cultural traditions, and nutrient distributions. The best diet for any given patient will be one they can maintain. However, the strongest evidence for producing sustained dietary change comes from comprehensive moderate-contact programs, which are generally beyond what primary care physicians can provide. When lack of time, training, and comfort are obstacles to having comprehensive in-clinic conversations about diet, family physicians can refer patients to specialists trained in nutrition and behavior change. For patents with complex needs, collaboration with dietitians can optimize clinical outcomes.