Research is at the heart of the Nourish Program’s mission to improve health through food. Our publications explore how culinary medicine, nutrition education, and community-based interventions can help prevent chronic disease and promote lifelong well-being. A key focus of this work is training healthcare providers to integrate practical culinary medicine skills and evidence-based nutrition guidance into patient care. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and research, we strive to translate knowledge into practical approaches that empower healthcare professionals, individuals, families, and communities to lead healthier lives.
The Nourish Program: An Innovative Model for Cooking, Gardening, and Clinical Care Skill Enhancement for Dietetics Students
McWhorter JW, Raber M, Sharma SV, Moore LS, Hoelscher DM. The Nourish Program: An Innovative Model for Cooking, Gardening, and Clinical Care Skill Enhancement for Dietetics Students. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2019 Feb;119(2):199-203. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2017.12.004. Epub 2018 Feb 13. Erratum in: J Acad Nutr Diet. 2019 Jul;119(7):1210. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2019.01.016. PMID: 29452976.
Training of Registered Dietitian Nutritionist to Improve Culinary Skills and Food Literacy
McWhorter JW, LaRue DM, Almohamad M, Danho MP, Misra S, Tseng KC, Weston SR, Moore LS, Durand C, Hoelscher DM, Sharma SV. Training of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists to Improve Culinary Skills and Food Literacy. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2022 Aug;54(8):784-793. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2022.04.001. Epub 2022 May 27. PMID: 35644786.
Testing of a Culinary Medicine Intervention for Racially/Ethnically Diverse Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Heredia NI, Macias-Navarro L, Guevara DC, Sharma SV, Chow J, Bentley SS, Chukuigwe O, Pappa A, McWhorter JW. Testing of a Culinary Medicine Intervention for Racially/Ethnically Diverse Adults With Type 2 Diabetes. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2025 Apr;57(4):263-273. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2024.11.006. Epub 2025 Jan 15. PMID: 39818659.
A virtual culinary medicine intervention for ethnically diverse individuals with type 2 diabetes: development of the Nourishing the Community through Culinary Medicine
Macias-Navarro L, McWhorter JW, Guevara DC, Bentley SS, Sharma SV, Torres JH, Ai D, Heredia NI. A virtual culinary medicine intervention for ethnically diverse individuals with type 2 diabetes: development of the Nourishing the Community through Culinary Medicine. Front Nutr. 2024 Aug 16;11:1383621. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1383621. PMID: 39221161; PMCID: PMC11362094.
Development of a Culinary Medicine Toolkit to Improve Implementation of Virtual Cooking Classes for Low-Income Adults with Type 2 Diabetes
Ai D, Heredia NI, Cruz V, Guevara DC, Sharma SV, Woods D, Danho M, McWhorter JW. Development of a Culinary Medicine Toolkit to Improve Implementation of Virtual Cooking Classes for Low-Income Adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Jan 30;12(3):343. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12030343. PMID: 38338231; PMCID: PMC10855157.
Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing a Clinic-Integrated Food Prescription Plus Culinary Medicine Program in a Low-Income Food Insecure Population: A Qualitative Study
McWhorter JW, Danho MP, LaRue DM, Tseng KC, Weston SR, Moore LS, Durand C, Hoelscher DM, Sharma SV. Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing a Clinic-Integrated Food Prescription Plus Culinary Medicine Program in a Low-Income Food Insecure Population: A Qualitative Study. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2022 Aug;122(8):1499-1513. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2021.11.016. Epub 2021 Nov 25. PMID: 34839026.
Impact of a Virtual Culinary Medicine Curriculum on Biometric Outcomes, Dietary Habits, and Related Psychosocial Factors among Patients with Diabetes Participating in a Food Prescription Program
Sharma SV, McWhorter JW, Chow J, Danho MP, Weston SR, Chavez F, Moore LS, Almohamad M, Gonzalez J, Liew E, LaRue DM, Galvan E, Hoelscher DM, Tseng KC. Impact of a Virtual Culinary Medicine Curriculum on Biometric Outcomes, Dietary Habits, and Related Psychosocial Factors among Patients with Diabetes Participating in a Food Prescription Program. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 15;13(12):4492. doi: 10.3390/nu13124492. PMID: 34960044; PMCID: PMC8707163.
Pilot Implementation of a Nutrition-Focused Community-Health-Worker Intervention among Formerly Chronically Homeless Adults in Permanent Supportive Housing
Hamilton JE, Guevara DC, Steinfeld SF, Jose R, Hmaidan F, Simmons S, Wong CW, Smith C, Thibaudeau-Graczyk E, Sharma SV. Pilot Implementation of a Nutrition-Focused Community-Health-Worker Intervention among Formerly Chronically Homeless Adults in Permanent Supportive Housing. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Jan 18;21(1):108. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21010108. PMID: 38248570; PMCID: PMC10815109.