Basic Nutrition Course in General and Family Medicine - 5th edition

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death and disability in Europe. Inadequate diet, obesity, and sedentary behaviour are among the main risk factors for NCDs, and the need to address these risk factors is widely recognised. Currently, most medical schools in Portugal do not have a subject on diet and nutrition in their academic curriculum, making it essential to equip future doctors, particularly general practitioners and family physicians, with knowledge on healthy diet and nutrition that is essential for preventing these diseases and improving patients’ quality of life.

Objectives

Main Objective

To provide knowledge and tools in the field of healthy eating and nutrition with practical applicability in general and family medicine consultations.

Specific Objectives

Understand and apply methods for assessing nutritional status, namely in terms of body composition and food intake.
Understand and identify dietary patterns and food and nutritional recommendations at different stages of the life cycle: 1) Pregnancy; 2) Breastfeeding; 3) Childhood; 4) Preschool age; 5) School age; 6) Adolescence; 7) Adulthood; 8) Geriatrics;
Recognise and assess the importance of nutrition as therapy in different chronic diseases, namely: Obesity, Diabetes, Arterial Hypertension, Dyslipidaemia, and Gastroenterology;
Understand and apply key food and nutritional recommendations in follow-up consultations, namely: 1) family planning consultation; 2) maternal health consultation; 3) child health consultation; 4) diabetes consultation.
Understand and apply healthy cooking methods.

Target Audience

Target audience: Residents in General and Family Medicine; Specialists in General and Family Medicine; Nurses who carry out their clinical practice in primary healthcare.

Note: other candidates may be accepted subject to curriculum assessment.

Places Available

30 places

ECTS

Dates

Applications: from 1 June to 17 July 2026.

Candidate selection: until 20 July

Duration

From 10 October 2026 to 5 December 2026.

Schedule and Days

The course will take place on Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00.

Format

In person.

Location

Egas Moniz Building of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon and in the Food Technical Laboratory of the Reynaldo dos Santos Building.

Application Fee

€20.00.

Tuition Fees

€300.00.

Certification and Assessment

Final assessment with a multiple-choice test.

The certification to be issued may be for attendance and/or assessment, certification issued via Fénix, certificate of completion, with the associated fee of €20.