Pediatric Culinary Medicine: Current Status, Challenges and Opportunities.

Overview

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The health benefits of food are being increasingly recognized. Exposing children and parents to culinary medicine enables them to make healthy food choices with potential for long term health improvement. Here we review pediatric literature on culinary medicine, share results of a recent practice survey, and review strategies for program development and implementation including training opportunities. RECENT FINDINGS: There is growing evidence of interest in culinary medicine in pediatrics. A pediatric culinary medicine practice survey directed to current practitioners in the USA showed great variability. Common challenges associated with the practice included sustained funding, program management needs and getting the message out to the right audience. Based on survey responses and current literature, we generated educational resources and practice recommendations to further knowledge on pediatric culinary medicine practice. Several opportunities exist for practitioners to further the field of pediatric culinary medicine by engaging in additional clinical practices, research, education, and advocacy.