Bridging science and action: three scholars tackle heart health challenges
“Heart health is a function of so much more than diet and exercise. We have to look at the broader factors—like financial stress, food insecurity, and accessibility—to truly make an impact,” said Amber W. Kinsey, Ph.D., during a recent Forge AHEAD seminar.
The March event featured three Forge AHEAD scholars who shared their research on addressing cardiovascular health through behavioral interventions. Their work, spanning financial wellness, food insecurity, and maternal health, highlights the need for integrated solutions that go beyond traditional public health approaches.
The seminar provided a platform for Kinsey, Candice A. Myers, Ph.D., and Camille Schneider-Worthington, Ph.D., to discuss their Forge AHEAD pilot projects and the real-world applications of their research.
Rethinking heart health: the role of financial wellness
Kinsey, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, studies the intersection of financial well-being and physical activity in relation to cardiovascular health.
Her research underscores a crucial but often overlooked connection: financial stress is more than a burden; it’s a physiological risk factor for heart disease.
“Financial insecurity isn’t just about money. It’s a stressor that changes behavior and impacts physical health in ways we don’t always consider,” she said.
Kinsey’s study, “An integrated cardiometabolic intervention targeting physical and financial health: A pilot study”, integrates resistance training and financial coaching for participants facing economic hardships. The pilot program examines whether improving financial literacy can lead to better health choices and reduced stress, ultimately lowering cardiovascular risk.
Did you know? Chronic financial stress isn’t just a mental burden—it affects your body, too.
Increased Cortisol Levels – Prolonged stress triggers excess cortisol, which contributes to inflammation, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure—all key risk factors for heart disease (American Psychological Association, 2022).
Higher Blood Pressure & Heart Rate – Financial strain has been linked to hypertension, even after adjusting for lifestyle factors (Gallo et al., Psychosomatic Medicine, 2021).
Behavioral Impact – People experiencing financial hardship may be more likely to reduce physical activity, skip medical appointments, or make diet choices based on affordability rather than health (Kinsey, Forge AHEAD Seminar, 2024).
➡️ Dr. Amber Kinsey’s research explores whether financial coaching, combined with resistance training, can break this cycle and improve overall heart health.
Food insecurity: a hidden cardiovascular risk
Myers, assistant professor in the Division of Population and Public Health Science at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, focuses on food insecurity as a driver of poor heart health in her project “TARGETing Healthy Weight Loss in the Context of Food Insecurity Pilot and Feasibility Trial“.
Using data from the PROPEL trial—an obesity treatment study—Myers explored whether individuals with food insecurity had worse cardiovascular outcomes than those with consistent access to food. Surprisingly, her baseline analysis found no significant difference between the two groups.
But that doesn’t mean food insecurity isn’t a critical factor. Instead, it suggests that broader health challenges overshadow the differences in food access alone.
“Food insecurity is linked to chronic disease in ways we don’t fully understand yet. It’s not just about nutrition—it’s about the stress, the trade-offs, and the long-term effects on health behavior,” Myers explained.
Her next steps involve using the updated Life’s Essential 8 cardiovascular health model to see if new insights emerge.
Maternal health and the power of food as medicine
Worthington’s work bridges pregnancy, nutrition, and cardiovascular health. She studies how food access during pregnancy influences both maternal and infant health outcomes.
Her pilot study, “Use of home-delivered meals to manage cardiometabolic health during pregnancy among predominantly Black, low-income women in Alabama“, tested a meal delivery intervention for pregnant individuals facing food insecurity. Participants received nutritionally balanced meals, with the goal of reducing stress, improving diet quality, and preventing excessive gestational weight gain—a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
But recruitment proved more challenging than anticipated. Despite offering free, healthy meals, many potential participants declined.
“We assume that free food is an easy sell, but there are barriers we don’t always think about—time, trust, preferences, and the reality of everyday life,” Worthington said.
The qualitative exit interviews, however, revealed a clear impact: Participants reported reduced stress, improved food security, and the discovery of new, healthy foods they previously wouldn’t have tried.
What if your doctor could prescribe healthy meals?
That’s the idea behind Food is Medicine (FIM).
What is it?
A growing movement in healthcare that integrates nutrition into medical treatment by providing medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, or grocery deliveries to improve health outcomes.
Why does it matter?
Studies show that medically tailored meals reduce hospitalizations by 49% and overall healthcare costs by 16% (JAMA Network Open, 2019).
For pregnant individuals, better nutrition can lower risks of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and excessive weight gain—which all affect long-term cardiovascular health (Worthington, Forge AHEAD Seminar, 2024).
➡️ Dr. Camille Worthington’s pilot study tested a meal delivery intervention for pregnant women, exploring whether better nutrition access could improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
Amber W. Kinsey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine & Population Science at UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Candice A. Myers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Life's Essential 8™
The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8™ is a comprehensive guide outlining eight key measures to maintain and improve cardiovascular health:
Eat Better, Be More Active, Quit Tobacco, Get Healthy Sleep, Manage Weight, Control Cholesterol, Manage Blood Sugar, Manage Blood Pressure
These measures collectively aim to enhance cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
➡️ Dr. Candice Myers is applying this updated model to reassess the relationship between food insecurity and cardiovascular health—hoping to uncover new insights missed by the older metric.
Camille Schneider-Worthington, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine & Population Science at UAB Heersink School of Medicine
A shared vision: addressing the root causes of health challenges
Despite the distinct focuses of their projects, all three scholars emphasized a shared reality: improving cardiovascular health requires tackling the social and economic barriers that shape behavior.
“We can’t talk about heart health in isolation. If we want to make a difference, we have to address the structural and social factors that limit people’s ability to make healthy choices,” Kinsey said.
Looking ahead: turning research into action
Each scholar’s research reflects a critical shift in public health: moving beyond individual behavior change to structural solutions that improve health outcomes at a community level.
As these projects progress, they will continue to inform policy, interventions, and best practices for addressing cardiovascular health—ensuring that heart health research doesn’t stay in the lab, but makes a real-world impact.
For updates on upcoming Forge AHEAD events and resources, visit our website.
You can watch the seminar presentation video here.
