SUNY Downstate Addresses Growing Diabetes Epidemic at Third Annual Plant-Based Health and Nutrition Conference
May 30, 2024
Clinicians, Students, and Community Leaders Convened to Discuss Lifestyle Interventions Aimed at Preventing, Managing, and Reversing Diabetes
BROOKLYN, NY – SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University’s Committee on Plant-Based Health & Nutrition held their third conference earlier this month, bringing together clinicians, students, and community leaders to address the growing diabetes epidemic and develop strategies for using lifestyle interventions to prevent, manage, and achieve remission of diabetes.
The conference, held on May 10, featured a keynote address by the president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), Beth Frates, MD, FACS, DipABLM, with attendance from New York City health leaders in lifestyle medicine, including the leadership of the NYC Health + Hospitals Lifestyle Medicine Program, representatives from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Plant-Powered Metro New York, and local physicians, dieticians, and health coaches. The conference was chaired by Elizabeth Helzner, PhD, MS, DipACLM, Interim Chair and Associate Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics at Downstate’s School of Public Health, and was co-chaired by Richard Rosenfeld, MD, MPH, MBA, DipABLM, Distinguished Professor of Otolaryngology at Downstate and Director of Guidelines and Quality for ACLM.
“In addition to educating our communities, patients, and families to avoid and manage diabetes, this recurring conference helped in educating our students and faculty about one of the greatest public health challenges in New York City and beyond,” said Kitaw Demissie, M.D., PhD, Dean and Professor of Downstate’s School of Public Health. “The conference highlighted the need for approaches that focus on the whole person, incorporating lifestyle and social factors into traditional medical therapies. This conference has equipped participants with several tools to support the health of people with diabetes.”
New York City has experienced a 150% increase in diabetes prevalence since the 1990s with pervasive disparities affecting low-income and Black/Latino communities. Central Brooklyn, where 80% of residents identify as Black/Latino, has some of the highest rates of diabetes and diabetes-related deaths in New York City. The conference, which spanned a full day, included speakers examining the diabetes landscape in Brooklyn, and NYC plant-forward nutrition and lifestyle interventions policy approaches.
Downstate’s Plant-Based Health and Nutrition Conference is held to equip healthcare professionals with the tools and knowledge necessary to work on dietary and lifestyle change at multiple levels, including clinical, community, family, and patient, in order to create effective and sustainable patient behavior and lifestyle changes.
To learn more about the conference and view highlights, click here for Session I in the morning and here for Session II in the afternoon.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.