Hudson College Faculty and Alumni Showcase Nutrition Research at National Conference

Marianna Wetherill, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Health Promotion Sciences at the University of Oklahoma Hudson College of Public Health, and Lacey Caywood, MPH, Food is Medicine Research Coordinator and OU alumna, recently represented the university at the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Research Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, highlighting innovative approaches to nutrition education and improving health through food.

Held in September, the conference brought together researchers and professionals to share emerging research and strategies for integrating culinary medicine and teaching kitchens into health education and practice.

Wetherill delivered an oral presentation during the conference's main plenary session titled Leveraging Culinary Medicine and Teaching Kitchens to Increase Patient Participation in Nutrition Incentive Programs: Lessons from Double Up Oklahoma (DUO) for Health. Her presentation explored how culinary medicine and hands-on teaching kitchen experiences can encourage greater participation in nutrition incentive programs, helping individuals and families access and prepare nutritious foods.

The presentation drew on lessons from Double Up Oklahoma (DUO) for Health, highlighting opportunities to connect nutrition education with programs designed to make healthy foods more accessible. Hudson College MPH alumni Caywood and Madison Hemenway contributed as co-authors, demonstrating the continued involvement of OU graduates in research that addresses nutrition-related public health challenges.

Caywood also presented a research poster titled Nutrition in Medicine: Identifying Curriculum Enhancement Opportunities for Interprofessional Student Learners. Her work explored opportunities to strengthen nutrition education for future health professionals, emphasizing the importance of preparing students across health disciplines to incorporate nutrition into patient care.

Together, the presentations highlight the Hudson College of Public Health's contributions to advancing culinary medicine, nutrition education and food-based approaches to improving health. Through research, collaboration and the continued involvement of alumni, Wetherill and her colleagues are helping explore new ways to connect nutrition knowledge with practical strategies that support healthier communities.