Beyond Compliance: Integrating Social Determinants of Health into Clinical Nutrition Practice for Diabetes Prevention and Care

Date: Friday, May 1

Time: 11:15 am-12:45 pm

Speaker Bio

Dr. Walter E. Copeland II, DMSc, MBA, MSAN, is a public health strategist, clinical nutrition expert, and professor whose work focuses on integrating social determinants of health into chronic disease prevention and care. With over 20 years of experience across healthcare, business, and education, he brings a system-level perspective to improving patient outcomes.

He holds a Doctor of Medical Science, an MBA, and a Master of Science in Applied Nutrition. As the founder of Health Is Wealth Consulting Group and author of 10 Supplements That Are Useful for Health, Performance, and Weight Management, he advances practical, culturally responsive strategies that strengthen behavior change and long-term health outcomes.

Description

What happens when the nutrition plan is sound, the recommendations are evidence-based, and the client is motivated, yet outcomes still fall short?

For many practitioners, the missing piece is not more advanced protocols, but a deeper understanding of the social and environmental factors shaping health behaviors. Traditional clinical nutrition models often assume access, stability, and support systems that many clients simply do not have.

This session challenges practitioners to move beyond compliance-driven care and integrate social determinants of health into clinical nutrition practice. Dr. Walter E. Copeland II will introduce the REAL Care Model (Reality Assessment, Environment Mapping, Adaptive Planning, and Long-Term Support), a practical framework that helps clinicians assess real-world barriers, including food access, time constraints, health literacy, and environmental stressors, and translate those insights into more effective, sustainable nutrition strategies.

Participants will gain a new lens for understanding why well-designed plans fail, along with actionable approaches to improve adherence, engagement, and long-term outcomes in diabetes prevention and care. This presentation bridges clinical nutrition, behavior change, and public health, equipping practitioners with tools to deliver care that aligns with the realities of the populations they serve.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply the REAL Care Model to assess social determinants of health, including food access, time constraints, and environmental stressors, within clinical nutrition practice. Focus: practical application in client assessment
• Evaluate client cases for social and environmental barriers that may limit adherence to nutrition recommendations and contribute to suboptimal outcomes in diabetes prevention and care. Focus: identifying real-world barriers in casework
• Develop adaptive nutrition strategies based on the REAL Care Model that align with clients’ lived realities, improving engagement, sustainability, and long-term outcomes. Focus: translating assessment into actionable planning
• Integrate social determinants of health into client communication and care planning in a way that remains within scope while enhancing effectiveness and cultural responsiveness. Focus: ethical and practical integration into practice