While good nutrition plays a key role in overall health and reducing diet-related risks, developing healthy food habits can be far more challenging for families with limited access to resources.
This fall, Parkland Health will launch an innovative research study evaluating the effects of a Food is Medicine program. The main goal of a Food is Medicine program is to help people make changes in eating habits to prevent or treat diseases like diabetes, heart disease, digestive disorders, cancer, obesity and more. The study will be generously funded by Neva Cochran, a registered dietitian and Parkland Health Foundation supporter.
Research efforts will be led by Dr. Jaclyn Albin, medical director of Food is Medicine Innovation at Parkland Health’s Center for Innovation and Value. Through partnership with innovation and data science experts, she seeks to collaborate with community organizations to build sustainable strategies promoting food security and health equity. Community engagement expert Heather Kitzman, PhD, will also collaborate to provide leadership and expertise from the O’Donnell School of Public Health at UT Southwestern.
Traditionally, Food is Medicine programs focus on changing the nutritional habits of adults, but this study will focus primarily on children ages eight to 15 who are existing patients in several of Parkland’s community clinics. In the study, a dietitian, a social worker, and a physician will train community food navigators to work with families to help them evaluate and improve access to healthy food choices so they can prepare and consume more nutritious meals and snacks.
To build trust and encourage participation, the navigators will come from the same communities as the families they serve, sharing their language and understanding their cultural food traditions. This connection fosters stronger relationships between families and healthcare workers, increasing the likelihood of lasting dietary changes that support better health outcomes.
Milette Siler, MBA-HC, RDN, LD, CCMS, Senior Program Coordinator at the Moncrief Cancer Institute, will also lead the research study. She and Dr. Albin will work together to guide patients in the clinics.
“As a registered dietitian, I see every day how important food is when it comes to preventing and managing chronic disease. This new initiative brings together an incredible team that includes physicians, social workers, and dietitians to tackle the big problem of food insecurity for North Texans,” she said. “By connecting clinical care with local food resources, we’re working to improve dietary quality and health outcomes for these communities. This team approach is all about making sure people have access to healthy food while addressing the bigger picture of health and social challenges that impact so many families.”
If the study proves successful in improving nutrition and health while reducing diet-related risk factors, it will serve as a model for other Parkland clinics and provide a template for other healthcare providers and facilities to use.
Neva is passionate about nutrition and ensuring families in Dallas County have the resources they need to prepare healthy food and ultimately live healthier lives, free of preventable illnesses.
“Over my career as an RDN, I have seen very positive outcomes for individuals who have changed their diets in helping them lower blood cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels as well as decrease symptoms of acute and chronic disease,” Neva said. “In addition, nutrition intervention for those with inadequate food intake and/or malnutrition resulting from illness, accidents or trauma can drastically improve their chances for survival as well as promote better recovery and long-term health.”
Ideally, as these children begin to improve their eating habits, their family members will, too. Participants will learn how to locate, prepare and eat more nutrient-rich foods to support a healthy, balanced lifestyle. If they continue these practices and turn them into habits, they could create a positive pattern for future generations and make an impact in the greater Dallas County community.
Dr. Albin and Milette have collaborated with residents of Dallas County for over a decade, and in recent years, Milette has taught nutrition through hands-on cooking classes for students, healthcare professionals and community members.
“Donors want to know there will be good stewardship of their investment. The perfect recipe is an interprofessional team of dedicated people who have prior expertise and success building creative community partnerships and using all different types of funding to do good work that’s impactful and sustainable,” Dr. Albin said.
Parkland Health Foundation is grateful for Neva’s passion for building a healthier Dallas County and for her investment in the Food is Medicine program. Under the care of Dr. Albin and other healthcare professionals, the results of this initial research could change the future landscape of nutrition and health in the greater community.
“If Food is Medicine works for this population, then it works for everyone. Finding solutions for vulnerable communities helps create broad solutions,” said Dr. Albin.