As the Kansas Food is Medicine Initiative (KFIMI) strives to improve the health outcomes for Kansans with diet-related chronic conditions, Sunflower Foundation and its partners leading the effort are looking to build on the momentum and grow the movement across the state.

Clinicians, researchers, funders, community organizations and local food system leaders from around Kansas converged on the Sunflower Nonprofit Center in Topeka on Nov. 6 to attend the Advancing Food is Medicine in Kansas Learning Collaborative, where they heard KFIMI updates and began strategizing on what comes next for food is medicine.

Six Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the state are participating in the KFIMI effort, which is focused on integrating nutritious food interventions and education into the healthcare system as a treatment option for patients with diet-related chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension.

Event highlights included:

• Presentations and a panel on the role and importance of nutrition and culinary medicine education as academic strategies that could help advance food is medicine (FIM).
• The KFIMI Evaluation and Advisory Team sharing the first published FIM data in Kansas that show significantly improved clinical outcomes, particularly in the reduction of A1c levels, which are used to diagnose and monitor diabetes.
• Stories from innovative partnerships helping shape FIM work across Kansas.
• Conversations designed to explore and spark innovative ideas, partnerships and potential new avenues for FIM work in Kansas.
• Brainstorming and discussion about the next steps that need to be taken to advance FIM in Kansas.

This page allows you to experience the learning collaborative through videos, slide decks, photos and links to other food is medicine resources, literature and learning opportunities.

We hope you enjoy learning more about the exciting things happening with food is medicine in Kansas!