Dr. Jerome Adams, the 20th Surgeon General of the U.S., has joined the advisory board for Thrive365.
The Louisville-based company seeks to improve the health journey of millions of individuals who live with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, according to a news release. It has a patented nutritional scoring platform, which simplifies nutrition management by eliminating the process of time-intensive, complex calculations necessary to manage blood glucose levels by meal nutrition.
“Type 2 diabetes is not just a source of often preventable morbidity and mortality, but a driver of both health care spending and workforce inefficiency,” Adams said in the release. “Intervening early, often, and effectively is key to limiting the negative impacts of type 2 diabetes. Data on Thrive365 has shown it can be a powerful intervention tool.”
Adams led the Indiana State Department of Health before becoming U.S. Surgeon General for the Trump Administration. He currently heads Purdue University’s Health Equity Initiatives as executive director and is one of many distinguished health care professionals supporting Thrive365 and its health initiatives, the release continued.
“My father passed away from complications of type 2 diabetes and I know how deeply this condition affects individuals and their families. That’s why our mission to provide these powerful life-changing tools and resources is so important,” said Thrive365 founder and CEO Kirk Howell. “We are honored to have Dr. Adams on our advisory board and welcome the knowledge, experience and unique perspectives that he brings.”
Thrive365, founded in 2016, is a portfolio company of XLerateHealth, a Louisville-based accelerator program, and XLerate CEO Jackie Willmot is also on its board. It raised $1.7 million in the first quarter of this year.
Dr. Richard Black, former global chief nutrition officer for Kraft Foods and PepsiCo, was the lead inventor for the patented food-scoring solution and serves as Thrive365’s Chief Nutrition Advisor.
“As important as it was to invent and develop Thrive365, it can only truly help people when we put our solution in their hands making it simple and easy to use right in the moment," Black said. Whether they are at the grocery store, at a restaurant, or at home, Thrive365 empowers them to make better, more educated food choices to help them get their blood glucose levels in healthier ranges. Thrive365’s web and mobile platforms make that information easily accessible. I am proud to be on this team and now with Dr. Adams’ guidance as we move forward, we will continue to improve.”
