# A Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Whole Food Plant-Based Nutrition Program for Medical Students

## TL;DR

A short plant-based nutrition program improved medical students' knowledge and confidence in dietary counseling, which could help reduce chronic diseases.

## Contribution

The study introduces a scalable, experiential nutrition education model for medical students focused on plant-based diets.

## Key findings

- Nutrition knowledge scores improved significantly from 73.3% to 87.0% after the intervention.
- 65% of participants reported increased knowledge of food ingredients, and 54% said they were more likely to choose plant-based options.
- Themes included improved health, awareness of nutrition's role in medicine, and challenges with accessibility of plant-based diets.

## Abstract

Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue?
Diet-related chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and obesity, represent a leading and growing public health burden that is strongly influenced by modifiable dietary behaviors.Inadequate nutrition education among future physicians limits the healthcare system’s capacity to deliver effective, prevention-focused dietary counseling at the population level.

Diet-related chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and obesity, represent a leading and growing public health burden that is strongly influenced by modifiable dietary behaviors.

Inadequate nutrition education among future physicians limits the healthcare system’s capacity to deliver effective, prevention-focused dietary counseling at the population level.

Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health?
This study demonstrates that a short, whole food, plant-based (WFPB) nutrition intervention can significantly improve nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and readiness for lifestyle counseling among medical students.By strengthening physicians’ nutrition literacy and confidence early in training, this intervention addresses a critical upstream determinant of preventive care quality and chronic disease management.

This study demonstrates that a short, whole food, plant-based (WFPB) nutrition intervention can significantly improve nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and readiness for lifestyle counseling among medical students.

By strengthening physicians’ nutrition literacy and confidence early in training, this intervention addresses a critical upstream determinant of preventive care quality and chronic disease management.

Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policy makers, and/or researchers in public health?
Experiential, community-partnered nutrition programs may represent a scalable, low-cost strategy to enhance preventive health competencies within medical education and the broader healthcare workforce.Policymakers and educators should consider integrating practical, lifestyle-focused nutrition training into medical curricula to support long-term chronic disease prevention and health equity.

Experiential, community-partnered nutrition programs may represent a scalable, low-cost strategy to enhance preventive health competencies within medical education and the broader healthcare workforce.

Policymakers and educators should consider integrating practical, lifestyle-focused nutrition training into medical curricula to support long-term chronic disease prevention and health equity.

Background/Objectives: Whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diets have been associated with reduced cardiovascular risk and enhanced overall health. However, nutrition education in medical training remains limited. This study evaluated an experiential WFPB intervention known as the “Plant Plunge.” Methods: A total of 64 medical student participants attended weekly one-hour nutrition seminars on campus led by a local nonprofit, received complimentary WFPB lunches, and were encouraged to eat a WFPB diet for four weeks. Semi-structured interviews explored program perceptions. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured nutrition knowledge, and a post-program survey assessed attitudes toward the intervention. Results: We analyzed a total of 14 interviews, 25 pre- and post-intervention knowledge assessments, and 49 post-intervention surveys. Qualitative analysis identified seven major themes: (1) improved physical health outcomes; (2) increased awareness of nutrition’s role in medicine; (3) concerns about feasibility and accessibility of WFPB diets; (4) personal empowerment and behavioral change; (5) educational value of seminars; (6) social engagement and peer support; and (7) relevance to future clinical practice. Mean scores on the knowledge assessment significantly improved from 73.3% to 87.0% (p = 0.045) following the Plant Plunge. Survey responses revealed that 65% of participants agreed that they increased knowledge of food ingredients, 54% indicated increased likelihood of selecting plant-based options, and 43% agreed that finding WFPB foods was easy, with 16% disagreeing. Conclusions: The Plant Plunge improved medical students’ nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, and perceived readiness for lifestyle counseling while offering an experiential model of nutrition education. Short, experiential nutrition programs may serve as scalable approaches to strengthen nutrition training and support chronic disease prevention.