Food delivery, remote monitoring, and coaching to improve diabetes management
Food Delivery, Remote Monitoring, and coaching-Enhanced Education for Optimized Diabetes Management (FREEDOM)
This project offers digital coaching, home-delivered healthy food boxes, and remote health monitoring to help adults with type 2 diabetes and heart or kidney problems in the Deep South manage their condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145064 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join one of three health systems in Alabama or Mississippi and be one of about 304 adults taking part. Participants are randomly offered different combinations of three supports—digital health coaching, healthy food box delivery, and remote patient monitoring—so the team can learn which mix works best. The trial uses a factorial optimization approach called MOST to test components efficiently and tracks blood sugar control as well as heart and kidney-related outcomes. The program focuses on low-income adults facing barriers like transportation and food insecurity and follows people over months to see practical benefits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) with type 2 diabetes and cardiorenal complications who receive care in participating health systems in Alabama or Mississippi, especially those with limited income or food access, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without type 2 diabetes or without heart or kidney complications, those living far from the participating sites, or those unable to use digital tools or accept food deliveries are less likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve blood sugar control, reduce heart and kidney complications, and make diabetes care easier and more accessible for low-income adults.
How similar studies have performed: Individual elements like food support, remote monitoring, and health coaching have shown promise separately, but combining and optimizing them together in this way is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehta, Tapan S — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Mehta, Tapan S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.