June 27, 2022
Building Connections with Health Professionals
Across Texas, dietitians, nutrition professionals, physicians and medical students are attending educational conferences to discover new research and best practices — and Texas Beef Council (TBC) is right in the mix to show beef's place in an active, healthy lifestyle.
In April, TBC played an influential role in three reputable, high-attendance conferences: the Texas Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehab (TACVPR), Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (TAND) and the Texas Medical Association (TexMed). Here, TBC reached a large audience of organization members in a short period. Most often, attending these conferences includes concentrated outreach with a formal education component as part of the conference program, promotion of TBC-developed patient education materials and the opportunity for one-on-one conversations with TBC staff to answer questions and discuss topics of interest.
“Partnerships with health professional organizations are critical because they allow us to highlight our shared goals and build credibility as a trusted source of information and resources,” said Hannah Fuerniss, nutrition and health manager for TBC.
At TACVPR, presenters Drew Sayer, researcher on the Beef Wise Study, and Hawley Poinsett, consulting Registered Dietitian, informed attendees of the benefits of higher protein diets for patient health and weight management. At TexMed, one of the nation's largest and oldest state medical societies with more than 55,000 physician and medical student members, a lunch and learn engaged attendees on the benefits of higher protein diets.
“While we likely agree that most Texans love to eat beef, what becomes intriguing for many health professionals is the fact that lean beef can be the protein of choice in dietary patterns to support optimal health,” Fuerniss said. “At several events this spring, TBC-sponsored speakers shared research about the positive impact that higher-protein diets can have on health outcomes.”
At TAND, Marianne Smith Edge and Dr. Kebreab from UC Davis spoke during the keynote session on sustainable food systems and focused on beef sustainability. Also, more than 50 TAND conference attendees signed up to be invited to this Fall’s Pasture to Plate tour.
“We wanted to be sure that health professionals in Texas have the most up-to-date information about how beef production plays a role in not only environmental sustainability but also the social and economic aspects of our food system,” Fuerniss said. “We are invested in helping the nutrition community understand the complexities of healthy, sustainable diets and engaging in discussions around this topic.”
Because of the valuable educational sessions and crucial relationships developed at these events, Texas health professionals will have the knowledge, tools and resources to start communicating accurate and helpful beef information to their clients and patients.
