Page 13 - COH Newsletter

13

Scientific Corner

Nutrition Strategies for Reducing Risk of Burnout Among

Physicians and Healthcare Professionals

Ms. Dima El-Halabi, Senior Instructor, Biomedical Sciences Department

COVID-19 has exacerbated burnout in physicians and essential healthcare workers who are already
at high risk of burnout. The demanding pace, emotional intensity, and time-sensitive work that result
in burnout negatively affect the personal well-being of healthcare providers and reduce the quality
of patient care. Physician burnout is correlated with significant medical errors and, among nurses, is
associated with elevated patient mortality rates and the spread of hospital transmitted infection. These
high rates of burnout can eventually lead to healthcare providers leaving the field and contribute to the
shortage of these professionals.

Diet is a modifiable factor regarding burnout risk. Like the stress experienced by individuals suffering
from burnout, chronic stress has been shown to influence the amount and type of food individuals eat,
contributing to excessive eating and undereating, and stress hormones have been linked with abdominal
obesity. Burnout is also associated with chronic conditions, attributed to poor diet and lifestyle habits,
such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In addition, burnout in women has been linked with
emotional and uncontrolled eating behaviors correlated with a higher body mass index.

Dietary strategies to reduce burnout for physicians and health care professionals are needed to minimize
shortage within health care professions, maximize investment in healthcare professionals’ training, and
improve quality of life for these frontline workers. Strategies could focus on applying existing evidence
on nutrition interventions for mental health conditions, strategies to promote behavior change, and
system-level changes to promote healthy eating among these groups.

Evidence on the Mediterranean dietary pattern and the supportive role of specific nutrients in
cardiovascular benefits, optimal brain function, and mental health has been provided. The traditional
Mediterranean diet includes a high intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and
olive oil. In addition, it contains moderate amounts of fish and a low intake of highly processed food and
red meat. Efforts to support adherence to this eating pattern may be applied to physicians and health
care professionals to reduce the risk of burnout by imparting mental and physical health benefits.

Effective strategies for improving nutrition behaviors include nutrition education and counseling, and
mindful eating interventions. Registered dietitians utilize counseling techniques based on various behavior
change theories to support nutrition-related behavior changes. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which uses
strategies such as self-monitoring, problem-solving, goal setting, stress management, stimulus control,
and cognitive restructuring, has the most substantial evidence for eliciting behavioral change.

Finally, policy and institutional-level support include worksite wellness, healthy food policy, and the
incorporation of nutrition competencies into the medical training curriculum. Multilevel strategies for
improving nutritional status may reduce burnout risk among physicians and essential health care workers.

References:
• Esquivel MK. Nutrition Strategies for Reducing Risk of Burnout Among Physicians and
Health Care Professionals. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2020; 20:10. https://doi.
org/10.1177/1559827620976538

Abu Dhabi University | The College of Health Sciences E-Magazine | Issue 1 2021-2022 Academic Year