ORANGE PARK, Fla. – U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean met with higher education and hospital leaders Wednesday for a closed roundtable at Lincoln Memorial University about Florida institutions joining two federal nutrition initiatives.
The roundtable brought a national health policy discussion to Clay County, focusing on efforts to expand nutrition education in medical schools and improve food served in hospitals.
HHS’ Advancing Nutrition Education initiative encourages medical schools to provide at least 40 hours of nutrition education across four years, or an equivalent competency-based program, beginning in fall 2026. The department says 80 institutions across 36 states have committed.
“Lincoln Memorial was one of the first hospitals in the country to adopt our 40-hour nutrition education for medical students,” Kennedy said.
The Make Hospital Food Healthier pledge encourages hospitals to align menus and food-service practices with federal dietary guidelines when clinically appropriate and feasible. Recommendations include limiting ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks and emphasizing fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Kennedy is asking all of the medical schools in the country to consider promoting the initiative. He said so far, 80 schools have signed on. He talked about the quality of hospital food.
“Its low quality food, it has lots of sugars and salts and other ingredients that aggravated poor health,” Kennedy said.
Participants included leaders from local hospitals, health systems and medical schools.
Rep. Aaron Bean
Dr. James Toldi, dean of Lincoln Memorial University’s Orange Park campus — signed the medical school nutrition education commitment
Dr. Aaron Carpenter, president of North Florida for Nemours Children’s Health — signed the Healthy Hospital Pledge
Dr. Morhaf Ibrahim, founder and president of Ibrahim Heart Clinic and PremierCardia
Scott Kashman, CEO of Ascension St. Vincent’s Health System in Northeast Florida
Dr. Karthik Krishnamurthy, Mohs surgeon at Parks Dermatology Center
Dr. Jason McConnell, president of Lincoln Memorial University — signed the medical school nutrition education commitment
Dr. Teanna Moore, dean and chief academic officer of Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Stephen Motew, president and system CEO of UF Health — the University of Florida’s medical school signed the commitment
Chad Patrick, CEO of HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital
Dr. Kent Thielen, CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida
Dr. Christopher Reeder, dean of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Jacksonville University — signed the medical school nutrition education commitment
Matthew Zuino, president and CEO of Baptist Health
Kennedy said there was strong enthusiasm for the effort among the medical leaders at the meeting.
“It was gratifying to me to meet this pantheon of extraordinary medical leadership from medical schools, from the hospitals in the Jacksonville area,” he said. “If we want to make America healthy, we’ve got to start with nutrition.”
He said the administration is also focusing on healthier food through the military, Head Start and Women, Infants and Children programs. Kennedy said the federal government is changing food subsidy programs and has encouraged Florida to seek a SNAP waiver to help recipients access healthier food.
Bean said local community partners can help people learn about better food choices.
“We are learning that protein should be the basis of any diet because once you eat protein you get full and your continuing to consume some of the bad food. It’s educating people on better choices; everybody has the power to do this themselves,” Bean said.
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