Agricultural News
NCBA's Dr. Shalene McNeill Talks Beef Role in a Healthy Diet and the Nation's Dietary Guidelines
Fri, 19 Feb 2016 15:05:28 CST
Dr. Shalene McNeill serves as the Executive Director of human nutrition research at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). In that role, she was on the front lines battling on behalf of cattle producers across the country on the nation's dietary guidelines. These nutritional recommendations come out every five years from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The process got a rough start when major studies like the "Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet", otherwise known as BOLD study was missed. She said this showed that beef can lower cholesterol and it has a role in a healthy diet. She also found some committee members did not understand the definition of lean meat and red meat and some did not understand how much of today's beef supply has become leaner.
"So those issues were raised and ultimately at the end of the day the Secretaries reviewed the science and landed in a place that supports the science and we see these dietary guidelines clearly saying now that lean beef can be part healthy guidelines and they are definitely part of the dietary guidelines," McNeill said.
The nation's dietary guidelines set the standard for the school lunch program, federal feeding programs and serve as the baseline that many registered nutritionists use for guidance. McNeill said the next step for the beef checkoff is making sure consumers know beef is part of a healthy diet, along with providing recipes, meal plans and other materials when the dietary guidelines are put into practice.
The beef checkoff is also expanding the circle of influencers that the cattle industry is regularly communicating with. This includes dieticians and now physicians. McNeill said physicians are talking with their clients and patients. In the future, the beef checkoff will look at ways to educate more physicians on beef nutrition.
McNeill is featured in today's Beef Buzz. Today is part three of a three part series. Ron's complete conversation with McNeill can be heard by clicking here .
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network- but is also a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show- and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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