Feeding Hope: How One Researcher is Transforming Lives in the South
When Christopher Long, Ph.D., steps up to the microphone at the Forge AHEAD Center seminar, there’s a quiet urgency in his voice. It’s the conviction of someone who’s spent years researching how food impacts health outcomes and development of chronic diseases with a focus on the people living in the Southern U.S.
For Long, a principal research scientist at the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact, this lecture goes beyond presenting information. It’s a call to action — one grounded in a simple yet powerful idea: food is more than just something to eat; it’s medicine. Real medicine.
“I’m a psychologist,” he begins with a grin, his tone light. “Why the heck is a psychologist talking about food as medicine?”
It’s an unexpected opening, and Long knows it. Behind his friendly approach lies a more serious message: people in the South are dying — years earlier than they should be. The problem isn’t only about lacking healthcare; it’s about limited access to the food they need to survive.
A Personal Mission
Long’s journey didn’t begin in a lab or a hospital. It began in the early hours, and often out the door lines, where community members were waiting for the food pantry to open. Back in 2015, he found himself in food pantries across Arkansas, clipboard in hand, evaluating the quality of the food people were receiving. Through his work, Long realized the food itself was just one piece of a much bigger problem.
These were people whose needs weren’t being met by the overwhelmed healthcare system, people for whom a single bag of food might be all they had for days.
Long could see the cycle — poverty, illness, hunger — and he knew something had to change. Instead of simply treating patients, he wondered: why not feed them too?
From Local Roots to National Impact
“Walmart will bring groceries to my front porch,” Long says with a laugh, recalling the idea that sparked his research. “What if we started bringing groceries to food-insecure households? Not very creative, but people wanted to fund that research.”
“The problem isn’t only about lacking healthcare; it’s about lacking access to the food they need to survive.”
Dr. Long emphasizes that access to healthy food is as crucial as access to medical care, especially in food deserts where fresh produce is scarce.
For six years, Long’s team studied the impact of delivering groceries paired with disease-management education. The results spoke for themselves. People welcomed the food, grateful to avoid food pantry lines, and, more importantly, they began managing their chronic conditions better.
By 2023, Long had established himself as a leader in Arkansas. But as the national Food is Medicine movement began picking up steam, he saw an opportunity to contribute on a larger scale. Across the country, healthcare systems and food programs were partnering to deliver healthy food to those who needed it most.
What is "Food Is Medicine"?
“Food is Medicine” refers to the idea that healthy food can be used as a tool to prevent, manage, and treat chronic conditions. It connects healthcare providers and food systems to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
“This thing is really taking off,” Long recalls thinking. “There are national opportunities to change how we connect healthcare and communities with food systems.”
In 2023, Long joined the Center for Nutrition and Health Impact. His work now focuses on evaluating partnerships between food and healthcare systems at every level — local, regional, and national — to better serve food-insecure populations.
“I spend five days a week, 40 hours a week, talking to folks about partnerships between food systems and healthcare systems like clinics, hospitals, and even Medicaid and insurance payers,” Long says. “How can we understand the effectiveness of these partnerships? That’s what I do every day.”
For the families he works with, these partnerships are a lifeline. But for Long, they’re much more — they’re a way to chip away at the deep-rooted disparities that have plagued the Southern U.S. for too long.
Food, Poverty, and Disparity in the South
The numbers are staggering. In Mississippi, nearly one in five households is food insecure. Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama are close behind. These states also lead the nation in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease rates.
“We are dying faster,” Long says bluntly, his tone shifting with urgency. “You live in Mississippi? You should expect to live ten years less than someone in Hawaii.”
The statistics are chilling, but they’re not what drives Long. It’s the faces behind the numbers — the mothers stretching a bag of food across three days, elderly patients splitting medication costs with groceries, children eating whatever their parents can find.
And it’s not just about hunger. Food insecurity in the South is intricately tied to race and socioeconomic status. Black and Hispanic communities are hit hardest, living in neighborhoods where fresh produce is scarce and affordable groceries are a luxury. These “food deserts” become breeding grounds for chronic diseases, creating a cycle that’s tough to break.
“Food is Medicine directly addresses two of these systems,” Long says, pointing to healthcare and food access. “The reason why our states and our neighbors are facing these disparities in food insecurity and lifespan — it’s rooted in our neighborhoods, our communities.”
A Movement for Change
Long knows that solving these issues will take more than just one person or program. But he believes that the South, with its strong sense of community, can rise to the challenge. He points to the faith-based organizations, small businesses, and agricultural communities already stepping up, working alongside him to build local food systems and distribute healthy meals.
“It’s not easy,” Long admits. “But it’s necessary. Our communities have the heart. They have the passion. They just need the support.”
The fight is long, but the wins are already coming. Data from his programs show that those receiving medically tailored meals and groceries are eating better and managing their diseases more effectively. Fewer hospital readmissions, fewer emergency room visits, better control of chronic conditions. The evidence is building, catching the attention of policymakers and healthcare providers alike.
“In Mississippi, nearly one in five households is food insecure.”
Southern states face some of the highest rates of food insecurity and chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
“We are dying faster. You live in Mississippi? You should expect to live ten years less than someone in Hawaii.”
But for Long, the real victory will come when programs like his are no longer needed — when food insecurity is no longer part of life in the South.
The Why Behind the Work
As Long finishes his presentation, he scans the room one last time. The weight of the situation is clear to everyone listening. He knows that Food is Medicine is more than a project or a catchy slogan. It’s a lifeline for millions of people in the South, trapped in a web of poverty, illness, and hunger.
“I’m trying to sell you on doing this research,” he says, his voice softening. “But really, I’m trying to show you the power of what we can do together.”
For Long, this work is all about people. It’s about dignity. It’s about giving people the most basic of human rights — the right to eat, the right to live.
Because in the end, food isn’t just food. It’s medicine. And in the South, it might just be the most powerful medicine of all.
Dr. Berkowitz called for a combined effort of healthcare solutions and policy changes. He spoke about the benefits of community-supported nutritional programs and policy reforms that aim to break down these barriers. To effectively tackle food insecurity, he emphasized the vital roles of community involvement and policy advocacy. He suggested advocating for improved social safety nets and fair food distribution, supporting local food banks and health programs, and educating others about how health connects with economic and social factors. By getting involved in these ways, everyone can contribute to a deeper understanding and drive meaningful change in their communities.
