Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Plant-Based Diets: To Supplement or Not?
Omega-3 fatty acids have been thought to be important for lowering risk for cardiovascular disease and possibly also for protecting cognitive function. Since long chain Omega-3 fatty acids are found primarily in cold water fish and to a much lesser extent to eggs, lacto-ovo vegetarians consume very little and vegans generally have none in their diets. Whether or not this matters is a big question in plant-based nutrition. This presentation will review the scientific evidence on the effects of Omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and discusses diet quality, nutrition adequacy, and effects on Omega-3 fatty acids on depression and risk of dementia. Recommendations are presented to assist registered dietitian nutrition in using plant-based nutrition in clinical practice.
Previously presented on Wednesday, March 24, 2021.
CPEU: 1.0
CPE Level: 2
Performance Indicators: 6.2, 8.1, 8.4
Learning Objectives
- The general strength of the research to date regarding associations between:
- Eating fish and the prevention of cardiovascular disease
- Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids and the prevention of cardiovascular disease
- Omega-3 fatty acid intakes, blood levels and risk of dementia
- Omega-3 fatty acid intakes for the prevention and treatment of depression.
- The relative intakes and blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids for vegetarians and vegans
- The recommendations to achieve adequate omega-3 fatty acid status for vegetarians and vegan, including which foods are the most plentiful sources
Speaker:
Jack Norris, RD
Jack Norris is a Vegan Registered Dietitian, co-founder and executive director of Vegan Outreach. Jack co-authored the book, Vegan For Life, and has been elected to the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Jack writes a nutrition blog at JackNorrisRD.com and maintains VeganHealth.org.
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A Plant-Based Eating Pattern for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
This webinar aims to highlight evidence-based research on the role of diet in climate and sustainability. RDNs are familiar with the health benefits of diets rich in plant-based proteins, vegetables, and fruits; however, plant-forward diets also have important environment and sustainability implications, including climate. Understanding how nutrition and climate work together, especially in the global context is vital for RDNs as they provide evidence-based, effective solutions for their clients. This webinar will provide an overview of recent diet-climate research, discuss the role of concepts such as Meatless Monday as a first-step solution, and highlight resources for RDNs as we seek to promote healthy diets for all.
Plant-based eating patterns are associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes and are highly effective in its treatment. Diets that emphasize whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes and exclude animal products improve blood glucose levels, body weight, plasma lipid concentrations, and blood pressure and play an important role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular and microvascular complications. This presentation will review the scientific evidence on the effects of plant-based diets for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and discusses diet quality, nutrition adequacy, and effects on insulin resistance and beta-cell function. Recommendations are presented to assist registered dietitian nutrition in using plant-based nutrition in clinical practice.
Previously presented on Thursday, March 11, 2021.
CPEU: 1.0
CPE Level: 2
Performance Indicators: 6.2, 8.1, 8.4
Learning Objectives
- Discuss the health benefits of a plant-based eating pattern based on observational and randomized controlled studies.
- List the potential mechanisms influencing insulin resistance and diabetes risk.
- Describe various strategies for success when providing plant-based nutrition education and counseling.
Speaker:
Meghan Jardine, MS, MBA, RDN, LD, CDE
Meghan Jardine is a registered dietitian nutritionist and a certified diabetes care and education specialist who specializes in plant-based eating patterns for preventing and treating diabetes. Ms. Jardine previously worked as the associate director of diabetes nutrition education for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a Washington, D.C. –based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting preventative medicine, especially better nutrition, and higher standards in research. Mrs. Jardine works five days a month as a clinical dietitian providing medical nutrition therapy for Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, Texas where she was the coordinator of the Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support program for over 10 years.
Mrs. Jardine earned her bachelor's degree in Food and Nutrition from the University of Maine and a master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science from Texas Woman’s University. She also has a master's in business administration from the University of Dallas.
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Veganism and Eating Disorders: What Our Clients Are Teaching Us
As of 2019, 25% of 25- to 34- year old Americans report that they are vegan or vegetarian. In fact, sales of vegan foods rose 10x faster than food sales as a whole in 2018, and even "Big Meat" is going vegan as mainstream food conglomerates purchase stake in vegan food products. But research on the intersection of veganism and eating disorders continues to lag behind and can create misinformation based on generalizations and assumptions. Clinicians treating clients with eating disorders can no longer ignore the reality that veganism is trending in a similar pattern as vegetarianism and eating disorders did over twenty years ago. Whether veganism exists alongside a client's eating disorder, or is part of the disordered eating for another, how do we walk this path with our clients in real time? And how do we do this in a higher level of care as we navigate the unique challenges within a diverse community of clients? Can we guide our clients to discover their truth without our own biases interfering with the recovery progress? Join Tammy Beasley, RDN, CEDRD-S as she discusses lessons learned in real-time from clients with eating disorders in residential level of care within a mixed client community in which some follow veganism, and others do not, but all are seeking full recovery from an eating disorder.
Previously presented on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.
Learning Objectives
- Reflect on the most current research on veganism and eating disorders through an objective yet discerning lens
- Compare shifts in perspectives of ED dietitians treating vegan clients over the past year through a national survey
- Learn from real client case studies that reveal the challenges and rewards of navigating veganism and eating disorders simultaneously in a higher level of care
Speaker:
Tammy Beasley, RDN, CEDRD-S, CSSD, LD
Tammy has practiced as a registered, licensed dietitian specializing in eating disorders within multiple levels of treatment over three decades. As the first eating disorder dietitian certified with IAEDP in 1993, she served on the Certification Committee nine years, becoming Director from 2013-2017 during which the Commission on Dietetic Registration approved the Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) designation for RDNs practicing in the field of eating disorders. Tammy joined Alsana Eating Recovery Communities in 2015 and currently serves as Vice President of Clinical Nutrition Services. As part of Alsana's Adaptive Care Model, Tammy led the development of Alsana's residential and day treatment programming for clients who follow a vegan lifestyle and seek full recovery from an eating disorder. Due to her work in this field, Tammy received the Excellence in Practice in Eating Disorders award from Behavioral Health Nutrition dietetic practice group in 2016 and is one of the three co-authors of the newly updated AND Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance (SOP/SOPP) for dietitians treating eating disorders published in November 2020. Tammy enjoys translating evidence-based science into practical and insightful messages for clients to begin healing their relationship with food and body and for clinicians to incorporate into their own practices.
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"Food and Sustainability: What we can learn from Earth’s planetary boundaries"
Our food system has a larger environmental impact than perhaps any other human activity. In this one-hour webinar, Dr. Emery will present a close look at the ways food and agriculture affect planet Earth, the differences in environmental burdens between foods, and the effects of food production on global and local health. While the primary role of the food system is to provide a nutritious diet to the world’s population, different complete or healthy diets can have dramatically different impacts on the environment and unintended consequences for public health. Dr. Emery will highlight the scientific basis for the agriculture – environment connections and provide space for conversation and questions about the role of food and nutrition in global sustainability.
Previously presented on Thursday, October 29, 2020.
Presenter:
Isaac Emery, Ph.D.
Isaac Emery, Ph.D., is an environmental sustainability scientist and consultant with over a decade of experience in quantitative sustainability, systems thinking, and life cycle assessment. His recent work focuses on food and agriculture-based solutions to our most critical environmental problems. Dr. Emery is the founder and principal consultant of Informed Sustainability Consulting, where he partners with alternative protein companies and non-profit organizations to evaluate and communicate the role of novel foods and healthy diets in a sustainable society.
Isaac is also the lead sustainability analyst for the HSUS Forward Food program and a co-chair of the Food and Climate Alliance – an international network working to highlight plant-centric diets as a critical climate change solution. His past work includes public-facing reports on food sustainability issues as well as research projects on agriculture and energy with major universities, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense. He has written over a dozen scientific papers and presented to a wide range of audiences on life cycle assessment and sustainable agricultural systems.
You can access the recorded webinar here: https://www.vndpg.org/vn/resources/webinar/archived-webinars/food-sustainability-webinar
Learning Objectives:
Attendees should be able to:
- What are the “planetary boundaries” and how can we use them to define ‘sustainability’ and sustainable diets?
- How does our food system contribute to the planetary boundaries?
- What are the biggest differences between food groups from an environmental perspective?
Access the Slide PDF Here
The Carbon Footprint Of A Sandwich
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Plant-forward diets and the global syndemic of obesity, undernutrition and climate change: The unique and important role of the RDN
This webinar aims to highlight evidence-based research on the role of diet in climate and sustainability. RDNs are familiar with the health benefits of diets rich in plant-based proteins, vegetables, and fruits; however, plant-forward diets also have important environment and sustainability implications, including climate. Understanding how nutrition and climate work together, especially in the global context is vital for RDNs as they provide evidence-based, effective solutions for their clients. This webinar will provide an overview of recent diet-climate research, discuss the role of concepts such as Meatless Monday as a first-step solution, and highlight resources for RDNs as we seek to promote healthy diets for all.
Previously presented on Thursday, June 18, 2020.
Presenters:
Daphene Altema-Johnson, MPH, MBA
Daphene joined the Center for a Livable Future in 2019 as a Program Officer with the Food Communities & Public Health Program, following a year-long dietetic internship that led to her becoming a registered dietitian/nutritionist (RDN). Before that, she was an epidemiologist and lead evaluator at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Oral Health Department. While there, she performed all data collection, analysis and reporting activities, and served as the chief evaluator for the HRSA workforce grant and CDC’s Cooperative Agreements oral health grant. She developed and implemented a five-year evaluation plan for Maryland’s oral health program and evaluated legislation to determine effectiveness and impact. At the Center, Daphene uses her expertise and experience as a nutritionist to support the Meatless Monday campaign. She’s especially interested in reaching young people with wellness messages through school programs and community outreach to effect generational change. “Get them started early,” is one of her guiding principles.
Becky Ramsing, MPH, RDN
Becky is a senior program officer with the Food Communities and Public Health Program, primarily responsible for managing the Center’s science advisory role with the Meatless Monday Campaign. At CLF, she overseas research, communication, evaluation and programming that facilitate a shift sustainable, healthy diets that are plant-centric and lower in meat.Prior to joining the CLF, Becky worked with University of Maryland as a Technical Advisor for Nutrition and Food Security for projects in Afghanistan and Ethiopia, helping women produce and utilize food for family consumption and income generation. She also worked as a nutrition consultant for community, worksite, and school-based programs developing and implementing health and nutrition curricula with clients such as Head Start, Howard County Public School System and other business and community partners. She has extensive experience initiating and overseeing health and nutrition programs and research projects, and she loves creative problem solving that includes networking and collaboration.
Credits: 1 CEU
Learning Objectives:
Attendees should be able to:
- Gain an understanding of the importance and role of different dietary patterns’ impact on climate change and the environment
- Recognize the critical role the food system plays in the obesity, malnutrition and the global climate crisis
- Provide an overview of the Global Meatless Monday community
- Use the Global Meatless Monday community to share and obtain resources with other healthcare and nutrition professionals
- Use evidence-based science to promote diet, nutrition and sustainability in their work
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