Early Nutrition Intervention for Pediatric Health Equity

Challenge

Childhood Type 2 Diabetes is rising rapidly among underserved families due to limited access to fresh, affordable nutrition, increasing long-term health risks for children ages 5–12.

Predicted Outcomes

Modeled projections based on early-intervention and Food-as-Medicine literature.

10–20% reduction

in preventable nutrition-related risk factors

These outcomes represent modeled projections intended to illustrate system-level potential rather than clinical or financial guarantees.

$40–$80 savings/ month

15–30% improvement

in Operational efficiency

Cost of Type 2 Diabetes in the U.S.

• 1 in 4 U.S. healthcare dollars goes toward diabetes care

$400B/ year

• $400B+ spent annually across treatment and management

• One of the largest drivers of healthcare spending

Type 2 Diabetes in the U.S. and Financial Costs

35%

of U.S. children are overweight or obese

Problem – Rising Type 2 Diabetes in U.S. Children

20%

increase in childhood Type 2 Diabetes over the past decade

Diabetes Costs in the U.S. – Impact on Families

5–40%

of household income out of pocket

Problem

Despite the urgency, families in underserved communities face structural barriers that make healthy nutrition inaccessible.

Common Challenges Households - Single parent and Two parent

Key Barriers - Families

Fresh Produce is Costly

Limited Time

Distance from Fresh Produce

Opportunity

Early nutrition intervention presents a critical opportunity to prevent long-term health risks for children ages 5–12 by improving access, affordability, and guidance for underserved families.

Proposed Solution

1. Family Context, children (5-12) years

4. Insurance-Covered, tailored Meal Plans

2. Financial Barriers

5. Produce Delivery

Illustrations by Jayanti Dave, developed collaboratively from hand-drawn concept sketches.

3. Tailored Provider Guidance

6. Fresh Produce Kits/ Insurance-Covered

Cost-Nutrition-Health Connection in At-Risk Children

This overlap reveals a clear opportunity to leverage food-as-medicine as an early intervention pathway—bringing affordable, culturally relevant nutrition to at-risk children during the most critical years of preventing Type 2 Diabetes.

Research and Insight

Research across families, nonprofits, and healthcare providers revealed systemic gaps in access, affordability, and nutrition support contributing to pediatric Type 2 Diabetes.

Key Players

Families

20- Two Parent

20 - Single Parent

130- Both Households

Local Organization

5- Nonprofits

7- Stakeholders

Healthcare Providers

3- Hospital

4- Clinics

9- Providers

Ecosystem Map

Current landscape - Savannah, Ga at the time of study

Post Intervention landscape - Savannah, Ga at the time of study

AI-Augmented Research & Synthesis

AI-supported quantitative and qualitative analysis using ATLAS.ti

Synthesized insights from 130+ survey responses and multi-stakeholder research

Generated rapid concept visuals using AI to support early solution testing and stakeholder feedback

Validated concepts with 8 cross-sector stakeholders (public & private healthcare, nonprofit leadership, and food retail partners) through collaborative Miro workshops

Concept Development 1 & 2

Synthesized stakeholder feedback collected via Miro co-creation sessions. Icons indicate participant type.

Key Players

Families

Insight Consolidation: From Clusters to Key Takeaways

Sample Example

Design Approach

The process followed the Double Diamond framework—balancing research depth with iterative prototyping and validation (in full presentation).

Value Proposition

A culturally and clinically tailored fresh produce–kit service designed to improve nutrition access for financially underserved families in Savannah.

A culturally and clinically tailored fresh produce–kit service that improves nutrition access for underserved families by combining SNAP/WIC compatibility, physician-approved guidance, and local nonprofit and retail partnerships.