Optimizing Dietary Protein with Northeast Physicians
The national beef checkoff, through its Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI) and in partnership with the New York Beef Industry Council (NYBIC), explained the health benefits of lean beef in the diet to the Pri-Med East Conference attendees in Boston, Mass., Sept. 18- 21. This annual meeting was hosted at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center near the Boston Harbor, where the checkoff exhibited for the second year in a row.
Joined by more than 3,900 medical doctors, nurse practitioners, family physicians and similar medical professionals, the checkoff shared the latest protein research to improve the doctor recommendation of including lean beef as part of a healthy diet. Attendees received the Lean Matters booklets, nutrition fact sheets, and beef recipes to assist in their practices. At the booth, checkoff staff utilized the Protein Challenge as a platform to inform medical attendees about the importance of 30 grams of protein at every meal. Example meal choices were shown to portray not all protein choices are equal in terms of calories and protein needs.
Along with exhibiting, the checkoff hosted an evening educational session, “Optimizing Protein in a Carbohydrate World” by Dr. Donald Layman, Professor Emeritus of Nutrition at the University of Illinois, as an intimate dinner reception featuring beef with 48 selected attendees. Aside from the seated dinner guests, approximately 30 additional attendees joined to view the presentation. After Dr. Layman’s session, attendees had a greater understanding of the importance of protein in the diet, essentially beef, with 74 percent more likely to recommend beef as a protein source and 100 percent saying their knowledge of beef in a heart healthy diet has improved greatly or slightly.
This event served as an opportunity to present the science of the benefits of lean beef in the diet to a group of physicians from across the northeast. Cindy Chan Phillips, RD from the NYBIC, attended alongside checkoff staff talking about the Protein Supplement research and the variety of lean beef cuts that fit healthfully into any lifestyle or eating habits. Phillips provided attending physicians with great nutrition information and tips for including lean beef in both their patient’s diets, as well as their own.
After the event, Phillips remarked, "It is exciting to help the doctors and nurse practitioners view a healthy diet differently. By applying the key research findings from the Protein Summit 2.0, the attendees concluded that they can empower their patients to improve their diet with a protein-centric approach. Many attendees are able to take back the key advice that the elderly population benefits from increased protein per meal along with resistance exercises, and meat protein is an efficient protein source. Putting research into practice is always rewarding."
Source: Cattlemen’s Beef Board
