We are excited to share the groundbreaking work of Dr. Marianna Wetherill, a distinguished faculty member in Health Promotion Sciences at the Hudson College of Public Health. Dr. Wetherill recently spearheaded a transformative "food is medicine" project in Kansas, supported by the Sunflower Foundation.
The genesis of this project traces back to Dr. Wetherill's pioneering efforts with the OU Food Pharmacy. Impressed by her innovative approach and impactful results, the Sunflower Foundation invited Dr. Wetherill to lead as the principal consultant for their investment in "food is medicine" initiatives across federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) throughout Kansas.
Over the past three years, Dr. Wetherill and her team have been diligently working to advance this initiative, addressing the growing national interest in leveraging food as a fundamental component of healthcare. The recently published paper outlines the project's journey, detailing strategies, outcomes, and lessons learned in implementing "food is medicine" programs within healthcare settings.
For those eager to delve deeper into this transformative work, we provide access to the published article authored by Dr. Wetherill and her collaborators. Additionally, clinics interested in adopting "food is medicine" practices can access a comprehensive set of planning worksheets developed by Dr. Wetherill's team. These resources, available for free download here, serve as invaluable tools for clinics navigating the integration of nutrition and health services.
Dr. Marianna Wetherill's dedication to advancing public health through innovative initiatives like the "food is medicine" project exemplifies the mission and vision of the Hudson College of Public Health in creating healthier communities and promoting wellness for all.
Dr. Wetherill is an Associate Professor of Health Promotion Sciences at the Hudson College of Public Health (Tulsa campus). She is jointly appointed in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the OU-TU School of Community Medicine. She is also a Henry Zarrow Presidential Professor and the George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair in Population Healthcare. Dr. Wetherill has additional adjunct appointments in the OUHSC Department of Nutritional Sciences and OU School of Social Work due to the interdisciplinary nature of her research. She is a native Oklahoman who previously worked in the community setting as an administrator, developer, and evaluator for nutrition-related programs for patients living with chronic disease. Her research focuses on building healthy food access for people and communities affected by health disparities. Through her research, she has worked with various types of community partners, including food banks, social service organizations, medical clinics, and tribal communities, to identify feasible and sustainable strategies for improving the nutritional status of underserved populations. Her teaching emphasizes the application of lifestyle medicine as an interprofessional discipline and nutrition research methods.
Dr. Wetherill is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian who is board certified in lifestyle medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. She has also completed training on Nutrition-Focused Physical Exams from the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. With a decade of dietetics practice experience including HIV/AIDS, cardiometabolic disease, and plant-based diets, Dr. Wetherill’s nutrition philosophy incorporates a functional medicine approach to personal healing and a passion for improving health outcomes among low-income populations and other vulnerable groups. She is a member of the Institute for Functional Medicine, Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine practice group, the American Society for Nutrition, and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.