Research in Action
Impact & Projects
From community food interventions to national precision medicine initiatives, our research creates measurable change in the lives of real people.
F&I Research Consulting presenting at FIMCON 2026 — Food is Medicine Conference · June 1–2, 2026 · Washington, DC
The Good Food Rx Program
A 12-month food-as-medicine pilot designed to address the disproportionate burden of food insecurity and chronic disease in rural Arkansas. Phillips County reports food insecurity rates of 33% — triple the national average, with high prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension contributing to poor health outcomes.
The program delivered diagnosis-specific, medically-tailored food boxes and nutrition education to 24 enrolled adults — using Low-Glycemic, DASH, and Mediterranean dietary protocols matched to each participant's condition.
Mean BMI Reduction
Diabetes Group · p < .001
Mean A1C Reduction
Diabetes Group · p = .071
Mean DBP Reduction
Hypertension Group · p = .021
Enrolled Participants
17 completed all timepoints
Methods
- Participants: 24 adults with hypertension, diabetes, or obesity enrolled in a 12-month pilot. 17 completed all timepoints.
- Intervention: Monthly medically-tailored food boxes with diagnosis-specific diets (Low-Glycemic, DASH, Mediterranean) and nutrition education.
- Assessments: Monthly biometric measures (BMI, A1C, SBP, DBP) and quarterly surveys.
- Analysis: Paired t-tests for biometric changes; semi-structured interviews with thematic analysis integrated with quantitative findings.
Participant Voices
Improved Food Literacy
"I learned what foods are good for me and how to read labels."
Family Engagement
"My whole family is eating better now."
Meal Confidence
"I feel more confident cooking meals that help my health."
Peer Support
"Hearing others' stories kept me going."
Conclusions & Implications
Good Food Rx demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and measurable health benefits in a higher-risk rural setting. Findings support scaling through clinician involvement, community partnerships, and reimbursement-based models to build preventive rural health infrastructure.
"Food is Medicine. Community is Power."
FIMCON 2026 — Food is Medicine Conference
F&I Research Consulting and Well Fed will be presenting our Good Food Rx research at the 2026 Food is Medicine Conference in Washington, DC — a national convening of researchers, clinicians, and policymakers advancing food-as-medicine science and practice.
Poster: Evaluating a Food-as-Medicine Intervention to Improve Chronic Disease Outcomes in Rural Arkansas
Presentation Details
Conference
FIMCON 2026 — Food is Medicine Conference
Dates
June 1–2, 2026
Location
Washington, DC
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Title
Evaluating a Food-as-Medicine Intervention to Improve Chronic Disease Outcomes in Rural Arkansas: The Good Food Rx Program
Authors
Heather D. Wright, ABD, MS · Joshua Harris, MPH · Amber Norris, MD
Affiliations
F&I Research Consulting · Well Fed · UAMS
Interested in this research?
We welcome collaboration with clinicians, health systems, and community organizations interested in scaling food-as-medicine programs.
Get in TouchAdditional Initiatives
AURA — All of Us Research Academy
Expanding research mentorship and science literacy for underrepresented youth through the NIH All of Us Research Program. AURA connects young scholars with real research experiences and career pathways in biomedical science.
Arkansas Rural Health Partnership
Ongoing collaboration with ARHP to address health disparities across rural Arkansas — supporting program evaluation, data analysis, and community-based research design for underserved populations.
Translational Science & Public Health
Supporting UAMS and partner institutions in bridging laboratory discoveries with community health applications — from study design and IRB navigation to publication and dissemination strategy.
Partner on the Next Project
Whether you're scaling a food-as-medicine program, launching a community health study, or seeking evaluation support — we're ready to collaborate.