Food, Nutrition & Food Action
“The relationship between human health and plant-based food and nutrition has existed for centuries, as has food deprivation. Research undertaken in the last twenty years has more thoroughly linked negative health, poor nutrition and food insecurity, the latter considered to be a complex, global social-health crisis poignantly exposed during COVID-19 (Gundersen & Ziliak, 2015; Porter, 2018; Wolfson & Leung, 2020)” (Fleming, 2021).
Food action is a broad subject with many different facets including food security, food literacy, and food advocacy. The horticulture for health focus is on awareness of these topics, providing resources for further investigation or participation. Support for initiatives that encourage food security and food literacy where horticulture plays a significant role. Other organizations focus on advocacy.
Food
Nutrition
Food Action
Refer to categories Landscapes for Health – community gardens & urban farms, and in this category of Food, Nutrition & Food Action – the other subsets for related resources.
Food action is a broad subject with many different facets including food security, food literacy, and food advocacy. The horticulture for health focus is on awareness of these topics, providing resources for further investigation or participation. Support for initiatives that encourage food security and food literacy where horticulture plays a significant role. Other organizations focus on advocacy.
Food
Nutrition
Food Action
Refer to categories Landscapes for Health – community gardens & urban farms, and in this category of Food, Nutrition & Food Action – the other subsets for related resources.
Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash
FOOD - PLANTS
Health outcomes are well documented where the consumption of high quality, plant-based diets are linked to a reduced risk for cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and all-cause mortality (Derbyshire, 2017; Sofi et al., 2010). More recently, the Food is Medicine Movement has emerged promoting strategies for using food in this capacity (The Center for Health Law, 2020; Veldheer et al., 2021). This has included for example, produce prescription programs providing access to fresh nutritious food via partnerships with community & healthcare providers (Downer et al., 2022; Everett et al., 2020; National Gardening Association, 2021; National Produce Prescription Collaborative, 2022; Fleming et al., 2022).
Consumer driven trends for healthy, local and sustainably grown edible plants have become mainstream & continue to create demand within the green industry & impact food purchase patterns across healthcare, hospitality and educational sectors (Lazaroiu et al., 2019). These have impacted many sectors including business, non-profit groups, food advocacy organizations, health professionals and individuals. Issues like innovative plant products, (soft food for elderly), dietary and nutrition research, regulatory factors, food systems, plant-specific horticulture science, underutilized plants for food/food security & correlations to specific health diagnoses shed light on the intersection & scope of plant-based food & health.
Resources on plants-based food, and their connection to health are extensive. For additional information on food is medicine & produce prescription programs, refer to this category’s subset on nutrition. The resources listed here were selected, meant to be a starting point for further investigation.
Refer to nutrition subset in this category for related resources and category Horticultural Practices & category Populations – Cancer for info on plant-based diet connections.
Health outcomes are well documented where the consumption of high quality, plant-based diets are linked to a reduced risk for cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and all-cause mortality (Derbyshire, 2017; Sofi et al., 2010). More recently, the Food is Medicine Movement has emerged promoting strategies for using food in this capacity (The Center for Health Law, 2020; Veldheer et al., 2021). This has included for example, produce prescription programs providing access to fresh nutritious food via partnerships with community & healthcare providers (Downer et al., 2022; Everett et al., 2020; National Gardening Association, 2021; National Produce Prescription Collaborative, 2022; Fleming et al., 2022).
Consumer driven trends for healthy, local and sustainably grown edible plants have become mainstream & continue to create demand within the green industry & impact food purchase patterns across healthcare, hospitality and educational sectors (Lazaroiu et al., 2019). These have impacted many sectors including business, non-profit groups, food advocacy organizations, health professionals and individuals. Issues like innovative plant products, (soft food for elderly), dietary and nutrition research, regulatory factors, food systems, plant-specific horticulture science, underutilized plants for food/food security & correlations to specific health diagnoses shed light on the intersection & scope of plant-based food & health.
Resources on plants-based food, and their connection to health are extensive. For additional information on food is medicine & produce prescription programs, refer to this category’s subset on nutrition. The resources listed here were selected, meant to be a starting point for further investigation.
Refer to nutrition subset in this category for related resources and category Horticultural Practices & category Populations – Cancer for info on plant-based diet connections.
Key organizations
American Institute for Cancer Research
Center for Food As Medicine; Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center
Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences NC State University
foodandnutrition.org
Food is Medicine Coalition
Institute of Food Technologists
International Centre for Underutilized Crops
USDA – US department responsible for agriculture, food, policy
US Food and Drug Administration – a department within US Dept. of Health & Human Services, USDA is responsible for safety & security of the nation’s food supply…dietary supplements” along with other areas.
Center for Food As Medicine; Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center
Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences NC State University
foodandnutrition.org
Food is Medicine Coalition
Institute of Food Technologists
International Centre for Underutilized Crops
USDA – US department responsible for agriculture, food, policy
US Food and Drug Administration – a department within US Dept. of Health & Human Services, USDA is responsible for safety & security of the nation’s food supply…dietary supplements” along with other areas.
BOOKS, JOURNALS & EPUBLICATIONS ON FOOD
Advances in Food and Nutrition Research
Broad, GM. (2016). More Than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change. University of California Press.
Downer, S., Clippinger, E., Kummer, C., Hager, K. & Acosta, V. (2022). Food is medicine research action plan. Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation.
FAO. IFAD. UNICEF. WFP. WHO. (2020). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020.
Food and Agriculture Organization; Rome, Italy.
Foods journal.
Int J Environ Res Public Health.
Nutrients journal.
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition journal.
The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School. (2020). Food is medicine:
Peer-reviewed research in the U.S.
USDA My Plate
USDA Food and Nutrition
Broad, GM. (2016). More Than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change. University of California Press.
Downer, S., Clippinger, E., Kummer, C., Hager, K. & Acosta, V. (2022). Food is medicine research action plan. Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation.
FAO. IFAD. UNICEF. WFP. WHO. (2020). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020.
Food and Agriculture Organization; Rome, Italy.
Foods journal.
Int J Environ Res Public Health.
Nutrients journal.
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition journal.
The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School. (2020). Food is medicine:
Peer-reviewed research in the U.S.
USDA My Plate
USDA Food and Nutrition
RESEARCH & ARTICLES ON FOOD
Recently published selected research & articles:
Ahnen, R.T., Jonnalagadda, S.S. & Slavin, J.L. (2019). Role of plant protein in nutrition, wellness, and health. Nutr Rev., 77(11), 735-747. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz028
Alcorta, A., Porta, A., Tárrega, A., Alvarez, M.D. & Vaquero, M.P. (2021). Foods for plant-based diets: Challenges and innovations. Foods, 10(2), 293. doi: 10.3390/foods10020293
Bazerghi, C., McKay, F.H. & Dunn, M. (2016). The role of food banks in addressing food insecurity: A systematic review. J Community Health, 41(4), 732-40. doi: 10.1007/s10900-015-0147-5
Burke, E. (2018). Expanding the social performance of food production landscapes: Measuring health and well-being benefits. Landscape Research, 43(5), 587-599.
Bracale, R. & Vaccaro, C.M. (2020). Changes in food choice following restrictive measures due to Covid-19. Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis., 30(9), 1423-1426.
Cardarelli, K.M., DeWitt, E., Gillespie, R., Graham, R.H., Norman-Burgdolf, H. & Mullins, J.T. (2021). Policy implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity in rural America: Evidence from Appalachia. Int J Environ Res Public Health., 18(23), 12792. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312792
Carrero, J.J., González-Ortiz, A., Avesani, C.M., Bakker, S.J.L., Bellizzi, V., Chauveau, P., Clase, C.M., Cupisti, A., Espinosa-Cuevas, A., Molina, P., Moreau, K., Piccoli, G.B., Post, A., Sezer, S. & Fouque, D. (2020). Plant-based diets to manage the risks and complications of chronic kidney disease. Nat Rev Nephrol., 16(9), 525-542. doi: 10.1038/s41581-020-0297-2.
Center for Food As Medicine; Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center. (2022). Food as medicine review and report: How food and diet impact the treatment of disease.
Chen, X., Maguire, B., Brodaty, H. & O’Leary, F. (2019). Dietary patterns and cognitive health in older adults: A systematic review. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 67(2), 583-619. doi: 10.3233/JAD-199002
Chen, Z., Zuurmond, M.G., van der Schaft, N., Nano, J., Wijnhoven, HAH., Ikram, M.A., Franco, O.H. & Voortman, T. (2018). Plant versus animal based diets and insulin resistance, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: The Rotterdam Study. Eur J Epidemiol., 33(9), 883-893. doi: 10.1007/s10654-018-0414-8
Cheng, A. (2018). Review: Shaping a sustainable food future by rediscovering long-forgotten ancient grains. Plant Sci., 269, 136-142. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.01.018
Cheng, A., Mayes, S., Dalle, G., Demissew, S. & Massawe, F. (2017). Diversifying crops for food and nutrition security - a case of teff. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc., 92(1), 188-198. doi: 10.1111/brv.12225
Cohen, A.J., Rudolph, J.L., Thomas, K.S., Archambault, E., Bowman, M.M., Going, M., O'Toole, T.P, & Dosa, D.M. (2020). Food insecurity among veterans: Resources to screen and intervene. Federal Practitioner, 37 (1), 16.
Cohen, J.F.W., Hecht, A.A., McLoughlin, G.M., Turner, L. & Schwartz, M.B. (2021). Universal school meals and associations with student participation, attendance, academic performance, diet quality, food security, and body mass index: A systematic review. Nutrients, 13(3), 911. doi: 10.3390/nu13030911
Cusworth, G., Garnett, T. & Lorimer, J. (2021). Legume dreams: The contested futures of sustainable plant-based food systems in Europe. Glob Environ Change., 69, 102321. doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102321
Derbyshire, E.J. (2017). Flexitarian diets and health: A review of the evidence-based literature. Frontiers in Nutrition 3, 55. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2016.00055
Diazgranados, M., Allkin, B., Black, N., Camara-Leret, R., Canteiro, C., Carretero, J….Ulian, T. (2020). World checklist of useful plant species. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://doi.org/10.5063/F1CV4G34
Downer, S., Clippinger, E., Kummer, C., Hager, K. & Acosta, V. (2022). Food is medicine research action plan. Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation.
Everett, W., Badaracco, C. & McCauley, S. (2020). From hospital to home: Why nutrition counts. Health Affairs.
Feeding America. (2021). Healthy communities need healthy food.
Fleming, L., Zhang, W. & Nelson, K. (2022). Horticulture for health in U.S. hospitals: Horticultural therapy, gardens in hospitals, nutrition-led programs & affiliated community gardens. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 32(1), 13-32.
Fleming, L. (2021). Horticulture for health framework. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1330: XV International People Plant Symposium and II International Symposium on Horticultural Therapies: The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-being and Social Development.
Fleming, L. (2021). Health benefits of food gardening. Digging In, 7(2), 1-5.
Fleming, L. (2022). Health benefits of food gardening – more expansive than nutrition. Cultivate, 2(3), 1-6.
Food Tank. (2023). IPCC Synthesis Report: A final alarm for climate, a final alarm for food systems.
Harper, K., Belarmino, E.H., Acciai, F., Bertmann, F. & Ohri-Vachaspati, P. (2022). Patterns of food assistance program participation, food insecurity, and pantry use among U.S. households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients, 14(5), 988. doi: 10.3390/nu14050988
Heydarirad, G., Choopani, R., Pasalar, M., Parvizi, M.M., Hajian, P. & Mirzaei, H.R. (2019). The effect of a chickpea-based Persian diet on cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients: A semi-experimental study. Complement Med Res., 26(6), 390-397. English. doi: 10.1159/000500017
Howarth, M., Brettle, A., Hardman, M. & Maden, M. (2020). What is the evidence for the impact of gardens and gardening on health and well-being: A scoping review and evidence-based logic model to guide healthcare strategy decision making on the use of gardening approaches as a social prescription. BMJ Open, 10(7), e036923. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-036923
Huang, Y.W., Lin, C.W., Pan, P., Shan, T., Echeveste, C.E., Mo, Y.Y., Wang, H.T., Aldakkak M, Tsai S, Oshima K, Yearsley, M., Xiao, J., Cao, H., Sun, C., Du, M., Bai, W., Yu, J. & Wang, L.S. (2020). Black raspberries suppress colorectal cancer by enhancing Smad4 Expression in colonic epithelium and natural killer cells. Front Immunol., 11, 570683. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.570683
Jang, W.J. (2020). A study on current status and prospects of global food-tech industry. J Korea Converg Soc., 11, 247–254.
Kegler, M.C., Prakash, R. & Hermstad, A. et al .(2020). Home gardening and associations with fruit and vegetable intake and BMI. Public Health Nutr., 23 (18), 3417-3422.
Kemper, K.J. (2022). Food as medicine: Health professionals promoting victory gardens in light of climate crisis. Complement Ther Med., 70, 102869. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102869
Kent, K., Alston, L., Murray, S., Honeychurch, B. & Visentin, D. (2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural food security in high income countries: A systematic literature review. Int J Environ Res Public Health., 19(6), 3235. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063235
Kevany, K.M., Baur, G. & Wang, G.C. (2018). Shifting food systems: Increasing well-being through plant-based approaches. Explore, (NY) 14(6), 435-442. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2018.04.012
Landor-Yamagata, J.L., Kowarik, I. & Fischer, L.K. (2018). Urban foraging in Berlin: People, plants and practices within the metropolitan green infrastructure. Sustainability, 10, 1873. 10.3390/su10061873
Lazaroiu, G., Andronie, M., Uta, C. & Hurloiu, I. (2019). Trust management in organic agriculture: Sustainable consumption behavior, environmentally conscious purchase intention, and healthy food choices. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 340. http://doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00340
Lee, J.S., Gundersen, C., Cook, J., Laraia, B. & Johnson, M. (2012). Food insecurity and health across the lifespan. Advances in Nutrition, 3(5), 744–745.
Li, X., Qin, Y., Liu, W., Zhou, X.Y., Li, Y.N. & Wang, L.Y. (2018). Efficacy of ginger in ameliorating acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting among patients with lung cancer receiving Cisplatin-Based regimens: A randomized controlled trial. Integr Cancer Ther., 17(3), 747-754. doi: 10.1177/1534735417753541
Lynch, H., Johnston, C. & Wharton, C. (2018). Plant-based diets: Considerations for environmental impact, protein quality, and exercise performance. Nutrients, (12), 1841. doi: 10.3390/nu10121841
Manion, C. (2018). Diabetes management: A guide to growing your own food. Dignity Health.
Mann, S., Sidhu, M. & Gowin, K. (2020). Understanding the mechanisms of diet and outcomes in colon, prostate, and breast cancer; Malignant gliomas; and cancer patients on immunotherapy. Nutrients, 12(8), 2226. doi: 10.3390/nu12082226
Martins Ramalho Marques, J., Torres, A.P., Behe, B.K., & Langenhoven, P. (2021). Exploring consumers’ preferred purchase location for fresh fruits. HortTechnology, 31(5). https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04865-21
McClements, D.J. & Grossmann, L. (2021). The science of plant-based foods: Constructing next generation meat, fish, milk, and egg analogs. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf., 20(4), 4049-4100. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12771
McCormick Myers, A. & Painter, M. (2017). Food insecurity in the United States of America: An examination of race/ethnicity and nativity. Food Security, 9, 1419-1432.
McMacken, M. & Shah, S. (2017). A plant-based diet for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. J Geriatric Cardiology., 14, 342-354. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.05.009
Misuraca Ignaczak, N. (2014). 20 urban food forests from around the world. Shareable.
Mondal, A., Banerjee, S., Bose, S., Das, P.P., Sandberg, E.N., Atanasov, A.G. & Bishayee, A. (2021). Cancer preventive and therapeutic potential of banana and its bioactive constituents: A systematic, comprehensive, and mechanistic review. Front Oncol., 11, 697143. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.697143
Morrison, M.E.W., Joseph, J.M., McCann, S.E., Tang, L., Almohanna, H.M. & Moysich, K.B. (2019). Cruciferous vegetable consumption and stomach cancer: A case-control study. Nutr Cancer., 72(1), 52-61. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2019.1615100
Nandini, D.B., Rao, R.S., Deepak, B.S. & Reddy, P.B. (2020). Sulforaphane in broccoli: The green chemoprevention!! Role in cancer prevention and therapy. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol., 24(2), 405. doi: 10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_126_19
Nasir Ahmed, M. & Hughes, K. (2022). Role of ethno-phytomedicine knowledge in healthcare of COVID-19: Advances in traditional phytomedicine perspective. J Basic Appl Sci., 11(1), 96. doi: 10.1186/s43088-022-00277-1
National Gardening Association Editors. (2021). Food is medicine. The National Gardening Association Learning Library.
National Institutes of Health. (2016). Plants: Partners in health?
National Produce Prescription Collaborative. (2022). National produce prescription collaborative.
Nelson, M.E., Hamm, M.W., Hu, F.B., Abrams, S.A. & Griffin, T.S. (2016). Alignment of healthy dietary patterns and environmental sustainability: A systematic review. Adv Nutr., 7(6),1005-1025. doi: 10.3945/an.116.012567
Nierenberg, D. (2023). Dr. Mark Hyman tells us ‘how to activate our body’s own innate healing system’. Food Tank.
Niles, M.T., Wirkkala, K.B, Belarmino, E.H. & Bertmann, F. (2021). Home food procurement impacts food security and diet quality during COVID-19. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 945. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10960-0
Park,. HJ. & Kim, H.W. (2017). Global 3D food printing technology and industry trends and future prospect. World Agric., 147–168.
Payán, D.D., Perez-Lua, F., Goldman-Mellor, S. & Young, M.T. (2022). Rural household food insecurity among Latino immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients, 14(13), 2772. doi: 10.3390/nu14132772
Pieroni, A., Vandebroek, I., Prakofjewa, J., Bussmann, R.W., Paniagua-Zambrana, N.Y., Maroyi, A., Torri, L., Zocchi, D.M., Dam, A.T.K., Khan, S.M., Ahmad, H., Yeşil, Y., Huish, R., Pardo-de-Santayana, M., Mocan, A., Hu, X, Boscolo, O. & Sõukand, R. (2020). Taming the pandemic? The importance of homemade plant-based foods and beverages as community responses to COVID-19. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed., 16(1), 75. doi: 10.1186/s13002-020-00426-9
Rajaram, S., Jones, J., Lee & G.J. (2019). Plant-based dietary patterns, plant foods, and age-related cognitive decline. Adv Nutr., 10(Suppl_4), S422-S436. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmz081
Sano, M. (2023). The relationship between debt and global hunger: A special IPES-Food Report. Food Tank.
Satija, A., Bhupathiraju, S.N., Rimm, E.B., Spiegelman, D., Chiuve, S.E., Borgi, L., Willett, W.C, Manson, J.E., Sun, Q. & Hu, F.B. (2016). Plant-based dietary patterns and incidence of Type 2 diabetes in US men and women: Results from three prospective cohort studies. PLoS Med., 3(6), e1002039. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039
Satija, A., Bhupathiraju, S.N., Spiegelman, D., Chiuve, S.E., Manson, J.E., Willett, W., Rexrode, K.M., Rimm, E.B. & Hu, F.B. (2017). Healthful and unhealthful plant-based diets and the risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. adults. J Am Coll Cardiol., 70(4), 411-422. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.05.047
Satija, A. & Hu, F. (2018). Plant-based diets and cardiovascular health. Trends Cardiovascular Medicine, 28(7), 437-441. doi: 10.1016/j.tcm.2018.02.004
Schulze, M.B., Martinez-Gonzalez, M.A., Fung, T.T., Lichtenstein, A.H. & Forouhi, N.G. (2018). Food based dietary patterns and chronic disease prevention. BMJ, 361, k2396. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2396.
Schunko, C., Wild, A. & Brandner, A. (2021). Exploring and limiting the ecological impacts of urban wild food foraging in Vienna, Austria. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 62, 127164.
Sharma, R.M. (2019). Anticancer properties of horticultural based food. International Journal of Food and Fermentation Technology, 9(2), IX-XII.
Sofi, F., Abbate, R., Gensini, G.F. & Casini, A. (2010). Accruing evidence of benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on health: An updated systemic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92(5), 1189-1196 https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2010.29673
Storz, M.A. (2021). Lifestyle adjustments in long-COVID management: Potential benefits of plant-based diets. Curr Nutr Rep., 10, 1–12. doi: 10.1007/s13668-021-00369-x
Storz, M.A. (2021). What makes a plant-based diet? A review of current concepts and proposal for a standardized plant-based dietary intervention checklist. Eur J Clin Nutr. doi: 10.1038/s41430-021-01023-z
The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School. (2020). Food is medicine: Peer-reviewed research in the U.S.
Trautwein, E.A. & McKay, S. (2020). The role of specific components of a plant-based diet in management of dyslipidemia and the impact on cardiovascular risk. Nutrients, 12(9), 2671. doi: 10.3390/nu12092671
Vaziri, A. & Dus, M. (2021). Brain on food: The neuroepigenetics of nutrition. Neurochemistry International, 149, 105099. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105099
Veldheer, S., Scartozzi, C., Bordner, C.R., Opara, C., Williams, B. Weaver, L., Rodriguez, D. Berg, A. & Sciamanna, C. (2021). Impact of a prescription produce program on diabetes and cardiovascular risk outcomes. Journal Nutrition Education Behavior, 53(12), 1008-1017. doi:10.1016/j. jneb.2021.07.005
Willett, W., Rockstrom, J., Loken, B. et al. (2019). Food in the anthropocene: The EA-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet Commission, 393(10170), 447-492. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4
World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. (2018). Diet, nutrition, physical activity and cancer: A global perspective. Continuous Update Project Expert Report 2018.
Yeung, K.S., Hernandez, M., Mao, J.J., Haviland, I. & Gubili, J. (2018). Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho-oncologic relevance. Phytother Res., 32(5), 865-891. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6033
- (2022). Research project: Supergen. University of Southhampton. (using food waste for energy)
- (2022). Research project: Drought tolerance and nutrition in underutilised legume crops. University of Southhampton.
Ahnen, R.T., Jonnalagadda, S.S. & Slavin, J.L. (2019). Role of plant protein in nutrition, wellness, and health. Nutr Rev., 77(11), 735-747. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz028
Alcorta, A., Porta, A., Tárrega, A., Alvarez, M.D. & Vaquero, M.P. (2021). Foods for plant-based diets: Challenges and innovations. Foods, 10(2), 293. doi: 10.3390/foods10020293
Bazerghi, C., McKay, F.H. & Dunn, M. (2016). The role of food banks in addressing food insecurity: A systematic review. J Community Health, 41(4), 732-40. doi: 10.1007/s10900-015-0147-5
Burke, E. (2018). Expanding the social performance of food production landscapes: Measuring health and well-being benefits. Landscape Research, 43(5), 587-599.
Bracale, R. & Vaccaro, C.M. (2020). Changes in food choice following restrictive measures due to Covid-19. Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis., 30(9), 1423-1426.
Cardarelli, K.M., DeWitt, E., Gillespie, R., Graham, R.H., Norman-Burgdolf, H. & Mullins, J.T. (2021). Policy implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity in rural America: Evidence from Appalachia. Int J Environ Res Public Health., 18(23), 12792. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312792
Carrero, J.J., González-Ortiz, A., Avesani, C.M., Bakker, S.J.L., Bellizzi, V., Chauveau, P., Clase, C.M., Cupisti, A., Espinosa-Cuevas, A., Molina, P., Moreau, K., Piccoli, G.B., Post, A., Sezer, S. & Fouque, D. (2020). Plant-based diets to manage the risks and complications of chronic kidney disease. Nat Rev Nephrol., 16(9), 525-542. doi: 10.1038/s41581-020-0297-2.
Center for Food As Medicine; Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center. (2022). Food as medicine review and report: How food and diet impact the treatment of disease.
Chen, X., Maguire, B., Brodaty, H. & O’Leary, F. (2019). Dietary patterns and cognitive health in older adults: A systematic review. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 67(2), 583-619. doi: 10.3233/JAD-199002
Chen, Z., Zuurmond, M.G., van der Schaft, N., Nano, J., Wijnhoven, HAH., Ikram, M.A., Franco, O.H. & Voortman, T. (2018). Plant versus animal based diets and insulin resistance, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: The Rotterdam Study. Eur J Epidemiol., 33(9), 883-893. doi: 10.1007/s10654-018-0414-8
Cheng, A. (2018). Review: Shaping a sustainable food future by rediscovering long-forgotten ancient grains. Plant Sci., 269, 136-142. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.01.018
Cheng, A., Mayes, S., Dalle, G., Demissew, S. & Massawe, F. (2017). Diversifying crops for food and nutrition security - a case of teff. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc., 92(1), 188-198. doi: 10.1111/brv.12225
Cohen, A.J., Rudolph, J.L., Thomas, K.S., Archambault, E., Bowman, M.M., Going, M., O'Toole, T.P, & Dosa, D.M. (2020). Food insecurity among veterans: Resources to screen and intervene. Federal Practitioner, 37 (1), 16.
Cohen, J.F.W., Hecht, A.A., McLoughlin, G.M., Turner, L. & Schwartz, M.B. (2021). Universal school meals and associations with student participation, attendance, academic performance, diet quality, food security, and body mass index: A systematic review. Nutrients, 13(3), 911. doi: 10.3390/nu13030911
Cusworth, G., Garnett, T. & Lorimer, J. (2021). Legume dreams: The contested futures of sustainable plant-based food systems in Europe. Glob Environ Change., 69, 102321. doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102321
Derbyshire, E.J. (2017). Flexitarian diets and health: A review of the evidence-based literature. Frontiers in Nutrition 3, 55. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2016.00055
Diazgranados, M., Allkin, B., Black, N., Camara-Leret, R., Canteiro, C., Carretero, J….Ulian, T. (2020). World checklist of useful plant species. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://doi.org/10.5063/F1CV4G34
Downer, S., Clippinger, E., Kummer, C., Hager, K. & Acosta, V. (2022). Food is medicine research action plan. Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation.
Everett, W., Badaracco, C. & McCauley, S. (2020). From hospital to home: Why nutrition counts. Health Affairs.
Feeding America. (2021). Healthy communities need healthy food.
Fleming, L., Zhang, W. & Nelson, K. (2022). Horticulture for health in U.S. hospitals: Horticultural therapy, gardens in hospitals, nutrition-led programs & affiliated community gardens. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 32(1), 13-32.
Fleming, L. (2021). Horticulture for health framework. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1330: XV International People Plant Symposium and II International Symposium on Horticultural Therapies: The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-being and Social Development.
Fleming, L. (2021). Health benefits of food gardening. Digging In, 7(2), 1-5.
Fleming, L. (2022). Health benefits of food gardening – more expansive than nutrition. Cultivate, 2(3), 1-6.
Food Tank. (2023). IPCC Synthesis Report: A final alarm for climate, a final alarm for food systems.
Harper, K., Belarmino, E.H., Acciai, F., Bertmann, F. & Ohri-Vachaspati, P. (2022). Patterns of food assistance program participation, food insecurity, and pantry use among U.S. households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients, 14(5), 988. doi: 10.3390/nu14050988
Heydarirad, G., Choopani, R., Pasalar, M., Parvizi, M.M., Hajian, P. & Mirzaei, H.R. (2019). The effect of a chickpea-based Persian diet on cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients: A semi-experimental study. Complement Med Res., 26(6), 390-397. English. doi: 10.1159/000500017
Howarth, M., Brettle, A., Hardman, M. & Maden, M. (2020). What is the evidence for the impact of gardens and gardening on health and well-being: A scoping review and evidence-based logic model to guide healthcare strategy decision making on the use of gardening approaches as a social prescription. BMJ Open, 10(7), e036923. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-036923
Huang, Y.W., Lin, C.W., Pan, P., Shan, T., Echeveste, C.E., Mo, Y.Y., Wang, H.T., Aldakkak M, Tsai S, Oshima K, Yearsley, M., Xiao, J., Cao, H., Sun, C., Du, M., Bai, W., Yu, J. & Wang, L.S. (2020). Black raspberries suppress colorectal cancer by enhancing Smad4 Expression in colonic epithelium and natural killer cells. Front Immunol., 11, 570683. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.570683
Jang, W.J. (2020). A study on current status and prospects of global food-tech industry. J Korea Converg Soc., 11, 247–254.
Kegler, M.C., Prakash, R. & Hermstad, A. et al .(2020). Home gardening and associations with fruit and vegetable intake and BMI. Public Health Nutr., 23 (18), 3417-3422.
Kemper, K.J. (2022). Food as medicine: Health professionals promoting victory gardens in light of climate crisis. Complement Ther Med., 70, 102869. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102869
Kent, K., Alston, L., Murray, S., Honeychurch, B. & Visentin, D. (2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural food security in high income countries: A systematic literature review. Int J Environ Res Public Health., 19(6), 3235. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063235
Kevany, K.M., Baur, G. & Wang, G.C. (2018). Shifting food systems: Increasing well-being through plant-based approaches. Explore, (NY) 14(6), 435-442. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2018.04.012
Landor-Yamagata, J.L., Kowarik, I. & Fischer, L.K. (2018). Urban foraging in Berlin: People, plants and practices within the metropolitan green infrastructure. Sustainability, 10, 1873. 10.3390/su10061873
Lazaroiu, G., Andronie, M., Uta, C. & Hurloiu, I. (2019). Trust management in organic agriculture: Sustainable consumption behavior, environmentally conscious purchase intention, and healthy food choices. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 340. http://doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00340
Lee, J.S., Gundersen, C., Cook, J., Laraia, B. & Johnson, M. (2012). Food insecurity and health across the lifespan. Advances in Nutrition, 3(5), 744–745.
Li, X., Qin, Y., Liu, W., Zhou, X.Y., Li, Y.N. & Wang, L.Y. (2018). Efficacy of ginger in ameliorating acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting among patients with lung cancer receiving Cisplatin-Based regimens: A randomized controlled trial. Integr Cancer Ther., 17(3), 747-754. doi: 10.1177/1534735417753541
Lynch, H., Johnston, C. & Wharton, C. (2018). Plant-based diets: Considerations for environmental impact, protein quality, and exercise performance. Nutrients, (12), 1841. doi: 10.3390/nu10121841
Manion, C. (2018). Diabetes management: A guide to growing your own food. Dignity Health.
Mann, S., Sidhu, M. & Gowin, K. (2020). Understanding the mechanisms of diet and outcomes in colon, prostate, and breast cancer; Malignant gliomas; and cancer patients on immunotherapy. Nutrients, 12(8), 2226. doi: 10.3390/nu12082226
Martins Ramalho Marques, J., Torres, A.P., Behe, B.K., & Langenhoven, P. (2021). Exploring consumers’ preferred purchase location for fresh fruits. HortTechnology, 31(5). https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04865-21
McClements, D.J. & Grossmann, L. (2021). The science of plant-based foods: Constructing next generation meat, fish, milk, and egg analogs. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf., 20(4), 4049-4100. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12771
McCormick Myers, A. & Painter, M. (2017). Food insecurity in the United States of America: An examination of race/ethnicity and nativity. Food Security, 9, 1419-1432.
McMacken, M. & Shah, S. (2017). A plant-based diet for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. J Geriatric Cardiology., 14, 342-354. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.05.009
Misuraca Ignaczak, N. (2014). 20 urban food forests from around the world. Shareable.
Mondal, A., Banerjee, S., Bose, S., Das, P.P., Sandberg, E.N., Atanasov, A.G. & Bishayee, A. (2021). Cancer preventive and therapeutic potential of banana and its bioactive constituents: A systematic, comprehensive, and mechanistic review. Front Oncol., 11, 697143. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.697143
Morrison, M.E.W., Joseph, J.M., McCann, S.E., Tang, L., Almohanna, H.M. & Moysich, K.B. (2019). Cruciferous vegetable consumption and stomach cancer: A case-control study. Nutr Cancer., 72(1), 52-61. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2019.1615100
Nandini, D.B., Rao, R.S., Deepak, B.S. & Reddy, P.B. (2020). Sulforaphane in broccoli: The green chemoprevention!! Role in cancer prevention and therapy. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol., 24(2), 405. doi: 10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_126_19
Nasir Ahmed, M. & Hughes, K. (2022). Role of ethno-phytomedicine knowledge in healthcare of COVID-19: Advances in traditional phytomedicine perspective. J Basic Appl Sci., 11(1), 96. doi: 10.1186/s43088-022-00277-1
National Gardening Association Editors. (2021). Food is medicine. The National Gardening Association Learning Library.
National Institutes of Health. (2016). Plants: Partners in health?
National Produce Prescription Collaborative. (2022). National produce prescription collaborative.
Nelson, M.E., Hamm, M.W., Hu, F.B., Abrams, S.A. & Griffin, T.S. (2016). Alignment of healthy dietary patterns and environmental sustainability: A systematic review. Adv Nutr., 7(6),1005-1025. doi: 10.3945/an.116.012567
Nierenberg, D. (2023). Dr. Mark Hyman tells us ‘how to activate our body’s own innate healing system’. Food Tank.
Niles, M.T., Wirkkala, K.B, Belarmino, E.H. & Bertmann, F. (2021). Home food procurement impacts food security and diet quality during COVID-19. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 945. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10960-0
Park,. HJ. & Kim, H.W. (2017). Global 3D food printing technology and industry trends and future prospect. World Agric., 147–168.
Payán, D.D., Perez-Lua, F., Goldman-Mellor, S. & Young, M.T. (2022). Rural household food insecurity among Latino immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients, 14(13), 2772. doi: 10.3390/nu14132772
Pieroni, A., Vandebroek, I., Prakofjewa, J., Bussmann, R.W., Paniagua-Zambrana, N.Y., Maroyi, A., Torri, L., Zocchi, D.M., Dam, A.T.K., Khan, S.M., Ahmad, H., Yeşil, Y., Huish, R., Pardo-de-Santayana, M., Mocan, A., Hu, X, Boscolo, O. & Sõukand, R. (2020). Taming the pandemic? The importance of homemade plant-based foods and beverages as community responses to COVID-19. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed., 16(1), 75. doi: 10.1186/s13002-020-00426-9
Rajaram, S., Jones, J., Lee & G.J. (2019). Plant-based dietary patterns, plant foods, and age-related cognitive decline. Adv Nutr., 10(Suppl_4), S422-S436. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmz081
Sano, M. (2023). The relationship between debt and global hunger: A special IPES-Food Report. Food Tank.
Satija, A., Bhupathiraju, S.N., Rimm, E.B., Spiegelman, D., Chiuve, S.E., Borgi, L., Willett, W.C, Manson, J.E., Sun, Q. & Hu, F.B. (2016). Plant-based dietary patterns and incidence of Type 2 diabetes in US men and women: Results from three prospective cohort studies. PLoS Med., 3(6), e1002039. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039
Satija, A., Bhupathiraju, S.N., Spiegelman, D., Chiuve, S.E., Manson, J.E., Willett, W., Rexrode, K.M., Rimm, E.B. & Hu, F.B. (2017). Healthful and unhealthful plant-based diets and the risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. adults. J Am Coll Cardiol., 70(4), 411-422. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.05.047
Satija, A. & Hu, F. (2018). Plant-based diets and cardiovascular health. Trends Cardiovascular Medicine, 28(7), 437-441. doi: 10.1016/j.tcm.2018.02.004
Schulze, M.B., Martinez-Gonzalez, M.A., Fung, T.T., Lichtenstein, A.H. & Forouhi, N.G. (2018). Food based dietary patterns and chronic disease prevention. BMJ, 361, k2396. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2396.
Schunko, C., Wild, A. & Brandner, A. (2021). Exploring and limiting the ecological impacts of urban wild food foraging in Vienna, Austria. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 62, 127164.
Sharma, R.M. (2019). Anticancer properties of horticultural based food. International Journal of Food and Fermentation Technology, 9(2), IX-XII.
Sofi, F., Abbate, R., Gensini, G.F. & Casini, A. (2010). Accruing evidence of benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on health: An updated systemic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92(5), 1189-1196 https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2010.29673
Storz, M.A. (2021). Lifestyle adjustments in long-COVID management: Potential benefits of plant-based diets. Curr Nutr Rep., 10, 1–12. doi: 10.1007/s13668-021-00369-x
Storz, M.A. (2021). What makes a plant-based diet? A review of current concepts and proposal for a standardized plant-based dietary intervention checklist. Eur J Clin Nutr. doi: 10.1038/s41430-021-01023-z
The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School. (2020). Food is medicine: Peer-reviewed research in the U.S.
Trautwein, E.A. & McKay, S. (2020). The role of specific components of a plant-based diet in management of dyslipidemia and the impact on cardiovascular risk. Nutrients, 12(9), 2671. doi: 10.3390/nu12092671
Vaziri, A. & Dus, M. (2021). Brain on food: The neuroepigenetics of nutrition. Neurochemistry International, 149, 105099. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105099
Veldheer, S., Scartozzi, C., Bordner, C.R., Opara, C., Williams, B. Weaver, L., Rodriguez, D. Berg, A. & Sciamanna, C. (2021). Impact of a prescription produce program on diabetes and cardiovascular risk outcomes. Journal Nutrition Education Behavior, 53(12), 1008-1017. doi:10.1016/j. jneb.2021.07.005
Willett, W., Rockstrom, J., Loken, B. et al. (2019). Food in the anthropocene: The EA-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet Commission, 393(10170), 447-492. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4
World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. (2018). Diet, nutrition, physical activity and cancer: A global perspective. Continuous Update Project Expert Report 2018.
Yeung, K.S., Hernandez, M., Mao, J.J., Haviland, I. & Gubili, J. (2018). Herbal medicine for depression and anxiety: A systematic review with assessment of potential psycho-oncologic relevance. Phytother Res., 32(5), 865-891. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6033
- (2022). Research project: Supergen. University of Southhampton. (using food waste for energy)
- (2022). Research project: Drought tolerance and nutrition in underutilised legume crops. University of Southhampton.
EXAMPLES OF PLANT-BASED FOOD
Grow food in urban small spaces – urban gardening using containers, grow bags, portable pots
H.E.A.R.T Village in Lake Wales Fl. transforms sandy plot into a thriving food production site
Suprmarkt low cost organic grocery servicing low income communities in LA. SNAP accepted, nutrition focused, offering a solution to food and nutrition insecurity.
2 Acre Tropical Food Forest Project: Start to Finish using permaculture principles in Ft. Myers, FL
H.E.A.R.T Village in Lake Wales Fl. transforms sandy plot into a thriving food production site
Suprmarkt low cost organic grocery servicing low income communities in LA. SNAP accepted, nutrition focused, offering a solution to food and nutrition insecurity.
2 Acre Tropical Food Forest Project: Start to Finish using permaculture principles in Ft. Myers, FL
VIDEOS & WEBINARS ON PLANT-BASED FOOD
Centre for Underutilized Crops, based in Europe, promotes the understanding, research, advocacy, and use of wild or semi-wild species with crop-like traits to address food security, deforestation and climate change challenges.
Plants for Human Health Institute offers articles related to this topic.
Growing Mushrooms using organic waste, circular economy and nutritious mushroom production.
Michigan Medicine. (2015). Plant-Based Food Diets and Cancer. [Video]. YouTube.
New research on plant-based diets and mortality from Healthcare Triage.
Plant-based food diets and cancer video from University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center dietician.
Plants for Human Health Institute offers articles related to this topic.
Growing Mushrooms using organic waste, circular economy and nutritious mushroom production.
Michigan Medicine. (2015). Plant-Based Food Diets and Cancer. [Video]. YouTube.
New research on plant-based diets and mortality from Healthcare Triage.
Plant-based food diets and cancer video from University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center dietician.
RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
Written & compiled by Lesley Fleming, Brandy-Joe Milliron Nov 2021; revised Mar. 2023 by Lesley Fleming, Bree Stark
NUTRITION
“The impact of nutrition as an important health determinant impacting brain fatigue, mood and inflammation has been validated by research from the emerging field of nutritional cognitive neuroscience (Selhub & Logan, 2012; Zamroziewicz & Barbey, 2016)” (Fleming, 2021). Nutrition, specifically, nutrition provided from plants, impacts all aspects of health, not just those noted above.
The effect on populations with limited access to good nutrition is being addressed by a range of strategies including nutrition counseling, therapeutic horticulture, school food programs and school gardens, food Rx models, home use tests, and food literacy. COVID-19’s impact on nutrition, food security and food consumption generated research investigating new areas.
Specific health conditions & the connection to nutrition is being more thoroughly explored (Satija & Hud, 2018; Schulze et al., 2018; Trautwein & McKay, 2020).
Two significant developments related to nutrition & food—food is medicine movement & produce prescription programs—are included in Resource Hub’s Food subset in this category, and are discussed in Fleming, Zhang & Nelson. (2022). Horticulture for Health Activity in U.S. Hospitals: Horticultural Therapy, Gardens in Hospitals, Nutrition-led Programming, and Affiliated Community Gardens. And greater awareness of elements like taste and texture & cultural nutrition/foodways (MIPLATO) are emerging within the field.
Resources on plants-based nutrition, and their connection to health are extensive. The resources listed here were selected, meant to be a starting point for further investigation.
Refer to food subset in this category for related resources.
“The impact of nutrition as an important health determinant impacting brain fatigue, mood and inflammation has been validated by research from the emerging field of nutritional cognitive neuroscience (Selhub & Logan, 2012; Zamroziewicz & Barbey, 2016)” (Fleming, 2021). Nutrition, specifically, nutrition provided from plants, impacts all aspects of health, not just those noted above.
The effect on populations with limited access to good nutrition is being addressed by a range of strategies including nutrition counseling, therapeutic horticulture, school food programs and school gardens, food Rx models, home use tests, and food literacy. COVID-19’s impact on nutrition, food security and food consumption generated research investigating new areas.
Specific health conditions & the connection to nutrition is being more thoroughly explored (Satija & Hud, 2018; Schulze et al., 2018; Trautwein & McKay, 2020).
Two significant developments related to nutrition & food—food is medicine movement & produce prescription programs—are included in Resource Hub’s Food subset in this category, and are discussed in Fleming, Zhang & Nelson. (2022). Horticulture for Health Activity in U.S. Hospitals: Horticultural Therapy, Gardens in Hospitals, Nutrition-led Programming, and Affiliated Community Gardens. And greater awareness of elements like taste and texture & cultural nutrition/foodways (MIPLATO) are emerging within the field.
Resources on plants-based nutrition, and their connection to health are extensive. The resources listed here were selected, meant to be a starting point for further investigation.
Refer to food subset in this category for related resources.
Key organizations
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
American Society for Nutrition (ASN) – vison is a healthier world through evidence-based nutrition, advancing the science, education, and practice of nutrition
Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences NC State University
Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) – variety of programs, resources specifically geared to children & nutrition
Institute of Food Technologists
MiPlato /My Plate
USDA Food and Nutrition Service – mission to increase food security & reduce hunger by providing
& low-income people access to food, healthful diet & nutrition education supporting American horticulture
USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) “works to improve health & well-being of Americans by developing & promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to nutrition needs of consumers.”
American Society for Nutrition (ASN) – vison is a healthier world through evidence-based nutrition, advancing the science, education, and practice of nutrition
Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences NC State University
Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) – variety of programs, resources specifically geared to children & nutrition
Institute of Food Technologists
MiPlato /My Plate
USDA Food and Nutrition Service – mission to increase food security & reduce hunger by providing
& low-income people access to food, healthful diet & nutrition education supporting American horticulture
USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) “works to improve health & well-being of Americans by developing & promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to nutrition needs of consumers.”
Books, journals & epublications ON NUTRITION
Backman, C. (2016). Integrating gardening, nutrition, & 4-H positive youth development: An
overview. Washington State University Extension.
Campbell, T.C. (2014). Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition. BenBella Books.
Cornell University. (2022). Garden-Based Learning: Nutrition in the Garden.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 Edition.
FAO. IFAD. UNICEF. WFP. WHO. (2020). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020.
Food and Agriculture Organization; Rome, Italy.
Feeding America. (2021). Nutrition in Food Banking Toolkit (2nd edition).
Hicks, J.M. (2011). Healthy Eating, Healthy World: Unleashing the Power of Plant-based Nutrition. BenBella Books.
Journal of Food Science
Journal of Nutrition, Education & Behavior
Nutrients journal
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition journal
Smithsonian Science Education Center. (2022). Curriculum Food! How Do We Ensure Good Nutrition
For All?
Tray Talk Communities for healthy school meals website
overview. Washington State University Extension.
Campbell, T.C. (2014). Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition. BenBella Books.
Cornell University. (2022). Garden-Based Learning: Nutrition in the Garden.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 Edition.
FAO. IFAD. UNICEF. WFP. WHO. (2020). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020.
Food and Agriculture Organization; Rome, Italy.
Feeding America. (2021). Nutrition in Food Banking Toolkit (2nd edition).
Hicks, J.M. (2011). Healthy Eating, Healthy World: Unleashing the Power of Plant-based Nutrition. BenBella Books.
Journal of Food Science
Journal of Nutrition, Education & Behavior
Nutrients journal
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition journal
Smithsonian Science Education Center. (2022). Curriculum Food! How Do We Ensure Good Nutrition
For All?
Tray Talk Communities for healthy school meals website
Research & articles on nutrition
Recently published selected research & articles:
Ahnen, R.T., Jonnalagadda, S.S. & Slavin, J.L. (2019). Role of plant protein in nutrition, wellness, and health. Nutrition Review, 77(11), 735-747. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz028
Angeles-Agdeppa, I., Monville-Oro, E., Gonsalves, J. F. & Capanzana, M. V. (2019). Integrated school based nutrition programme improved the knowledge of mother and schoolchildren. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 15 Suppl 3(Suppl 3), e12794. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12794
Carrero, J.J., González-Ortiz, A., Avesani, C.M., Bakker, S.J.L., Bellizzi, V., Chauveau, P., Clase, C.M., Cupisti, A., Espinosa- Cuevas, A., Molina, P., Moreau, K., Piccoli, G.B., Post, A., Sezer, S. & Fouque, D. (2020). Plant-based diets to manage the risks and complications of chronic kidney disease. Nature Reviews Nephrology, 16(9), 525-542. doi: 10.1038/ s41581-020-0297-2.
Carino, S., Malekpour, S., Porter, J. & Collins, J. (2021). The drivers of environmentally sustainable hospital foodservices. Front Nutr., 8, 740376. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.740376
Charlton, K., Comerford, T., Deavin, N. & Walton, K. (2021). Characteristics of successful primary school-based experiential nutrition programmes: A systematic literature review. Public Health Nutr., 24(14), 4642-4662. doi: 10.1017/S1368980020004024
Choi, J-Y., Park, S-A., Jung, S-J, Lee, J-Y., Son, K-C., An, Y-J. & Lee, S-W. (2016). Physiological and psychological responses of humans to the index of greenness of an interior space. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 28, 37-43. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2016.08.002
Cutillo, A., Rathore, N., Reynolds, N., Hilliard, L., Haines, H., Whelan, K. & Madan-Swain, A. (2015). A literature review of nature-based therapy and its application in cancer care. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 25(1), 3-14.
Day, K, Tsupros, M.M. & Schober, D.J. (2022). To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow: A case study of a Chicago community-based organization focused on health education through school gardens. J Prev Interv Community., 50(1), 72-88. doi: 10.1080/10852352.2021
DeBruyn, L., Fullerton, L., Satterfield, D. & Frank, M. (2020). Integrating culture and history to promote health and help prevent Type 2 diabetes in American Indian/Alaska Native communities: Traditional foods have become a way to talk about health. Prev Chronic Dis., 17, E12. doi: 10.5888/pcd17.190213
de Medeiros, G.C.B.S., de Azevedo, K.P.M., Garcia, D.Á., de Oliveira Segundo, V.H., de Sousa Mata, Á.N., de Siqueira, K.S.D.P., Fernandes, A.K.P., Santos, R.P.D., de Brito Trindade, D.D.B., de Oliveira, Lyra, C. & Piuvezam, G. (2019). Protocol for systematic reviews of school-based food and nutrition education intervention for adolescent health promotion: Evidence mapping and syntheses. Medicine, (Baltimore) 98(35), e16977. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000016977
Derbyshire, E.J. (2017). Flexitarian diets and health: A review of the evidence-based literature. Frontiers in Nutrition, 3, 55. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2016.00055
Di Gioia, F., Petropoulos, S.A., Ferreira, I.C.F.R. & Rosskopf, E.N. (2021). Microgreens: From trendy vegetables to functional food and potential nutrition security resource. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1321: lll International Symposium on Soilless Culture and Hydroponics: Innovation and Advanced Technology for Circular Horticulture. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2021.1321.31
Doustmohammadian, A., Omidvar, N. & Shakibazadeh, E. (2020). School-based interventions for promoting food and nutrition literacy (FNLIT) in elementary school children: A systematic review protocol. Syst Rev., 9(1), 87. doi: 10.1186/s13643-020-01339-0
Everett, W., Badaracco, C. & McCauley, S. (2020). From hospital to home: Why nutrition counts. Health Affairs.
Evert, A., Dennison, M., Gardner, C.D., Garvey, T., Lau, K.H.K. & MacLeod, J. (2019). Nutrition therapy for adults with diabetes or prediabetes: A consensus report. Diabetes Care, 142(5), 731–754. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci19-0014
Fleming, L., Zhang, W. & Nelson, K. (2022). Horticulture for health in U.S. hospitals: Horticultural therapy, gardens in hospitals, nutrition-led programs & affiliated community gardens. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 32(1), 13-32.
Fleming, L. (2021). Horticulture for health framework. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1330: XV International People Plant Symposium and II International Symposium on Horticultural Therapies: The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-being and Social Development.
Gaikwad, K.B., Rani, S., Kumar, M., Gupta, V., Babu, P.H., Bainsla, N.K. & Yadav, R. (2020). Enhancing the nutritional quality of major food crops through conventional and genomics-assisted breeding. Front Nutr., 7, 533453. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.533453
Gatto, N.M., Martinez, L.C., Spruijt-Metz, D. & Davis, J.N. (2017). LA sprouts randomized controlled nutrition, cooking and gardening programme reduces obesity and metabolic risk in Hispanic/Latino youth. Pediatr Obes., 12(1), 28-37. doi: 10.1111/ijpo
Greer, A.E., Davis, S., Sandolo, C., Gaudet, N. & Castrogivanni, B. (2018). Agricultural experiences are positively associated with high school students' fruit and vegetable perceptions and consumption. J Nutr Educ Behav., 50(2), 133-140.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2017.08.009
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Greer, A.E., Davis, S., Sandolo, C., Gaudet, N. & Castrogivanni, B. (2018). Agricultural experiences are positively associated with high school students' fruit and vegetable perceptions and consumption. J Nutr Educ Behav., 50(2), 133-140.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2017.08.009
Heady, D.D. & Alderman, H.H. (2019). The relative caloric prices of healthy and unhealthy foods differ systematically across income levels and continents. The Journal of Nutrition, 149(11), 2020-2033. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxz158
Hutchinson, J., Christian, M.S., Evans, C.E., Nykjaer, C., Hancock, N. & Cade, J.E. (2015). Evaluation of the impact of school gardening interventions on children's knowledge of and attitudes towards fruit and vegetables. A cluster randomised controlled trial. Appetite, 91, 405-14. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.04.076
Jones, E. (2022). Kilough Elementary School students learn about gardening, nutrition, sustainability through revamped greenhouse project. DawsonCountyNews.
Keaver, L., Houlihan, C., O'Callaghan, N., LaVertu, A.E., Ding, X. & Zhang, F.F. (2022). Evidence-based nutrition guidelines for cancer survivors in Europe: A call for action. Eur J Clin Nutr., 76(6), 819-826. doi: 10.1038/s41430-021-01036-8
Kim, G.Y., & Seo, J.S. (2021). A new paradigm for clinical nutrition services in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. Clinical Nutrition Research, 10(2), 95–106. https://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2021.10.2.95
Kim, S.O. & Park, SA. (2020). Garden-based integrated intervention for improving children's eating behavior for vegetables. Int J Environ Res Public Health., 17(4), 1257. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17041257
Kim, S., Meyers, S.L., Silva, J.L., Wesley Schilling, M. & Siberio, W. et al. (2021). Sensory and nutritional characteristics of concept frozen desserts made from underutilized sweet potato roots. HortTechnology, 31(3).
Klem, S. (2021). Food sources of 5 important nutrients for vegetarians. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Lai, I.J., Chang, L.C., Lee, C.K. & Liao, L.L. (2021). Nutrition literacy mediates the relationships between multi-level factors and college students' healthy eating behavior: Evidence from a cross-sectional study. Nutrients, 13(10), 3451. doi: 10.3390/nu13103451
Landry, M.J., van den Berg, A.E., Hoelscher, D.M., Asigbee, F.M., Vandyousefi, S., Ghaddar, R., Jeans, M.R., Waugh, L., Nikah, K., Sharma, S.V. & Davis, J.N. (2021). Impact of a school-based gardening, cooking, nutrition intervention on diet intake and quality: The TX Sprouts randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 13(9), 3081. doi: 10.3390/nu13093081
Lettieri-Barbato, D. & Aquilano, K. (2018). Pushing the limits of cancer therapy: The nutrient game. Front Oncol., 8, 148. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00148
Limon-Miro, A.T., Valencia, M.E., Lopez-Teros, V., Alemán-Mateo, H., Méndez-Estrada, R.O., Pacheco-Moreno, B.I. & Astiazaran-Garcia, H. (2021). An individualized food-based nutrition intervention reduces visceral and total body fat while preserving skeletal muscle mass in breast cancer patients under antineoplastic treatment. Clin Nutr., 40(6), 4394-4403. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.01.006
Liu, W., Zou, M., Wang, Y., Cao, F. & Su, E. (2021). Ginkgo seed proteins: Characteristics, functional properties and bioactivities. Plant Foods Hum Nutr., 76(3), 281-291. doi: 10.1007/s11130-021-00916-5
Litton, M.M. & Beavers, A.W. (2021). The relationship between food security status and fruit and vegetable intake during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrients, 13(3), 712. doi: 10.3390/nu13030712
Lott, M. & Story, M. (2019). The future of healthy eating research. Stanford Social Innovation Review.
Makizako, H., Tsutsumimoto, K., Doi, T., Nakakubo, S., Liu-Ambrose, T. & Shimada, H. (2015). Effects of exercise and horticulture intervention on brain and mental health in older adults with depressive symptoms and memory problems: Study protocol. Trials, 16-499. doi: 10.1186/s13063-015-1032-3
Manivannan, A., Lee, E.S., Han, K., Lee, H.E. & Kim, D.S. (2020). Versatile nutraceutical potentials of watermelon-A modest fruit loaded with pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals. Molecules, 25(22), 5258. doi: 10.3390/molecules25225258
McClements, D.J. (2020). Development of next-generation nutritionally fortified plant-based milk substitutes: Structural design principles. Foods, 9(4), 421. doi: 10.3390/foods9040421
Milliron, B. (2021). Creating a more powerful framework for healthcare promotion, research, and teaching: An eco-biopsychosocial model. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1330: XV International People Plant Symposium and II International Symposium on Horticultural Therapies: The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-being and Social Development. https://www.actahort.org/books/1330/
Milliron, B.J., Vitolins, M.Z., Gamble, E., Jones, R., Chenault, M.C. & Tooze, J.A. (2017). Process evaluation of a community garden at an urban outpatient clinic. J Community Health., 42(4), 639-648. doi: 10.1007/s10900-016-0299-y
Mozaffarian, D., Andrés, J.R., Cousin, E., Frist, W.H. & Glickman, D.R. (2022). The White House Conference on hunger, nutrition and health is an opportunity for transformational change. Nat Food., 3(8), 561-563. doi: 10.1038/s43016-022-00568-x
Nury, E., Sarti, A., Dijkstra, C., Seidell, J.C. & Dedding, C. (2017). Sowing seeds for healthier diets: Children's perspectives on school gardening. Int J Environ Res Public Health., 14(7), 688. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14070688
Ohri-Vachaspati, P., Turner, L., Adams, M.A., Bruening, M. & Chaloupka, F.J. (2016). School resources and engagement in technical assistance programs is associated with higher prevalence of salad bars in elementary school lunches in the United States. J Acad Nutr Diet., 116(3), 417-426. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2015.10.023
Ornelas, I.J., Rudd, K., Bishop, S., Deschenie, D., Brown, E., Lombard, K. & Beresford, S.A.A. (2021). Engaging school and family in Navajo Gardening for Health: Development of the Yéego intervention to promote healthy eating among Navajo children. Health Behav Policy Rev., 8(3), 212-222. doi: 10.14485/HBPR.8.3.3
Pak, S. (2021). PBFA analysis: Final 2020-2025 U.S. dietary guidelines for Americans.
Palar, K, Lemus Hufstedler, E., Hernandez, K., Chang, A., Ferguson, L., Lozano, R. & Weiser, S.D. (2019). Nutrition and health improvements after participation in an urban home garden program. J Nutr Educ Behav., 51(9), 1037-1046. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2019.06.028
Plant Based Foods Association. (2021). PBFA endorses the healthy future students and Earth Act.
Prescott, M.P., Cleary, R., Bonanno, A., Costanigro, M., Jablonski, B.B.R. & Long, A.B. (2020). Farm to school activities and student outcomes: A systematic review. Adv Nutr., 11(2), 357-374. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmz094
Rains, C.B., Giombi, K.C. & Joshi, A. (2019). Farm-to-school education grants reach low-income children and encourage them to learn about fruits and vegetables. Transl Behav Med., 9(5), 910-921. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibz092
Sadegholvad, S., Yeatman, H., Parrish, A.M. & Worsley, A. (2017). What should be taught in secondary schools' nutrition and food systems education? Views from prominent food-related professionals in Australia. Nutrients, 9(11), 1207. doi: 10.3390/nu9111207
Sanou, D., O’Reilly, E., Ngnie-Teta, I., Batal, M., Mondain, N., Andrew, C., Newbold, BK. & Bourgeault, I.L. (2013). Acculturation and nutritional health of immigrants to Canada: A scoping review. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 16(1), 24-36.
Satija, A. & Hu, F. (2018). Plant-based diets and cardiovascular health. Trends Cardiovascular Medicine, 28(7), 437-441. doi: 10.1016/j.tcm.2018.02.004
Savitz, J. (2021). How coffee affects health. Institute of Food Technologists.
Savoie-Roskos, M.R., Wengreen, H. & Durward, C. (2017). Increasing fruit and vegetable intake among children and youth through gardening-based interventions: A systematic review. J Acad Nutr Diet., 117(2), 240-250. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2016.10.014
Scazzocchio, B., Varì, R., d'Amore, A., Chiarotti, F., Del Papa, S., Silenzi, A., Gimigliano, A., Giovannini, C. & Masella, R. (2021). Promoting health and food literacy through nutrition education at schools: The Italian experience with MaestraNatura Program. Nutrients, 13(5), 1547. doi: 10.3390/nu13051547
Schulze, M.B., Martinez-Gonzalez, M.A., Fung, T.T., Lichtenstein, A.H. & Forouhi, N.G. (2018). Food based dietary patterns and chronic disease prevention. BMJ., 361, k2396. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2396.
Schürmann, S., Kersting, M. & Alexy, U. (2017). Vegetarian diets in children: A systematic review. Eur J Nutr., 56(5), 1797-1817. doi: 10.1007/s00394-017-1416-0
Seeley, E. (2023). Empowering food sheroes to heal communities: WANDA’s mission to achieve nutrition equity. Food Tank.
Selhub, E. & Logan, A. (2012). The brain on nature’s nutrients: Nutri-ecopsychology. In E. Selhub & A. Logan (Eds.), Your Brain on Nature The Science of Nature’s Influence on Your Health, Happiness, and Vitality. John Wiley & Sons Canada Inc.
Shafer, L. (2018). Let it grow. Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Sharps, M.A., Thomas, E. & Blissett, J.M. (2020). Using pictorial nudges of fruit and vegetables on tableware to increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption. Appetite, 114, 104457. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104457
Simmet, A., Depa, J., Tinnemann, P. & Stroebele-Benschop, N. (2017). The nutritional quality of food provided from food pantries: A systematic review of existing literature. J Acad Nutr Diet., 117(4), 577-588. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2016.08.015
Skelton, K.R., Lowe, C., Zaltz, D.A. & Benjamin-Neelon, S.E. (2020). Garden-based interventions and early childhood health: An umbrella review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act., 17(1), 121. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-01023-5
Sofi, F., Abbate, R., Gensini, G.F. & Casini, A. (2010). Accruing evidence of benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on health: An updated systemic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92(5), 1189-1196.
Sorokina, M., McCaffrey, K.S., Deaton, E.E., Ma, G., Ordovás, J.M., Perkins-Veazie, P.M., Steinbeck, C., Levi, A. & Parnell, L.D. (2021). A catalog of natural products occurring in watermelon Citrullus lanatus. Front. Nutr., 8, 729822. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.729822
Springmann, M., Wiebe, K., Mason-D'Croz, D., Sulser, T.B., Rayner, M. & Scarborough, P. (2018). Health and nutritional aspects of sustainable diet strategies and their association with environmental impacts: A global modelling analysis with country-level detail. Lancet Planet Health, 2(10), e451-e461. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(18)30206-7
Taniguchi, T., Haslam, A., Sun, W., Sisk, M., Hayman, J. & Jernigan, V.BB. (2022). Impact of a Farm-to-School nutrition and gardening intervention for native American families from the FRESH Study: A randomized wait-list controlled trial. Nutrients, 14(13), 2601. doi: 10.3390/nu14132601
Toribio-Mateas, M.A., Bester, A. & Klimenko, N. (2021). Impact of plant-based meat alternatives on the gut microbiota of consumers: A real-world study. Foods, 10(9), 2040. doi: 10.3390/foods10092040
Trautwein, E.A. & McKay, S. (2020). The role of specific components of a plant-based diet in management of dyslipidemia and the impact on cardiovascular risk. Nutrients, 12(9), 2671. doi: 10.3390/nu12092671
Turner, L. & Calvert, H.G. (2019). The academic, behavioral, and health influence of summer child nutrition programs: A narrative review and proposed research and policy agenda. J Acad Nutr Diet., 119(6), 972-983. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2019.02.006
Turner, L., O'Reilly, N., Ralston, K. & Guthrie, J.F. (2019). Identifying gaps in the food security safety net: The characteristics and availability of summer nutrition programmes in California, USA. Public Health Nutr., 22(10), 1824-1838. doi: 10.1017/S1368980018004135
USDA (2021). Farm to school literature review.
USDA (2021). Farmers market nutrition program.
Vamos, S.D., Wacker, C.C., Welter, V.D.E. & Schlüter, K. (2021). Health literacy and food literacy for k-12 schools in the COVID-19 pandemic. J Sch Health., 91(8), 650-659. doi: 10.1111/josh.13055
Vaziri, A. & Dus, M. (2021). Brain on food: The neuroepigenetics of nutrition. Neurochem Int., 149, 105099. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105099
Weibe, A. (2021). ICYMI: Mi Plato Para Ti: Developing an evidence-based, culturally relevant Hispanic American toolkit based on the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Extension Foundation.
Zamroziewicz, M.K. & Barbey, A.K. (2016). Nutritional cognitive neuroscience: Innovations for healthy brain aging. Frontiers of Neuroscience, 10, 240. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00240
- (2021). The microbiome, nutrition and health: Assembling pieces of a complex puzzle. Institute News.
- (2022). Culinary club adds gardening to keep students engaged. Tray Talk.
- (2022). Feeding students on the go with 21st century technology. TrayTalk.
- (2022). Live from the School Nutrition Association’s annual national conference exhibit floor. TrayTalk.
- (2022). California school district opens bread kitchen with focus on whole grains. TrayTalk.
Examples of NUTRITION PROGRAMS
Citysprouts focuses on public school gardens and promoting curiosity and wonder with hands-on science leaning through urban gardens using its website.
Cooking Matters provides curricula designed to teach parents and caregivers with a limited food budget to shop for and cook healthy meals. They provide education through interactive, hands-on and digital tools and resources.
Fresh Rx supports the regional food system in Florida by purchasing fresh produce from local, family-owned farms that use organic growing practices and providing it to nutritionally vulnerable members of the community through the following initiatives: Fresh Rx Hospitals, Fresh Rx Kids, Fresh Rx Express.
Fresh Rx expands its services to include kids community gardening, farm to table dining experiences, partnerships with local restaurants.
Front yard food forest tour in Pensacola, FL
Indigenous Food Lab is a professional indigenous kitchen and training center working to establish new indigenous food systems reintegrating Native foods and indigenous-focused education into tribal communities in North America.
Let’s get raw! Kids talk school gardens & salad bars focusing on nutrition literacy in conjunction with Whole Kids Foundation
Mosswood Farm Store’s food forest, hugelkutur beds & permaculture demonstration site in Micanopy, FL
Plant-based nutrition for healthy black communities- Plant power to the people! World Food Day 2020 panel of doctors share nutrition info
Podcast Fresh Produce – ready to eat and ready to explore from Institute of Food Technologists Sci dish series
University of Alabama Birmingham’s Harvest for Health program & research paired cancer survivors with master gardeners to grow food in their home gardens, with improvements in physical exercise, nutrition, self-confidence & sense of control.
Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA) nonprofit is working to achieve nutrition equity in the United States by uplifting the voices of Black women and girls in food.
Cooking Matters provides curricula designed to teach parents and caregivers with a limited food budget to shop for and cook healthy meals. They provide education through interactive, hands-on and digital tools and resources.
Fresh Rx supports the regional food system in Florida by purchasing fresh produce from local, family-owned farms that use organic growing practices and providing it to nutritionally vulnerable members of the community through the following initiatives: Fresh Rx Hospitals, Fresh Rx Kids, Fresh Rx Express.
Fresh Rx expands its services to include kids community gardening, farm to table dining experiences, partnerships with local restaurants.
Front yard food forest tour in Pensacola, FL
Indigenous Food Lab is a professional indigenous kitchen and training center working to establish new indigenous food systems reintegrating Native foods and indigenous-focused education into tribal communities in North America.
Let’s get raw! Kids talk school gardens & salad bars focusing on nutrition literacy in conjunction with Whole Kids Foundation
Mosswood Farm Store’s food forest, hugelkutur beds & permaculture demonstration site in Micanopy, FL
Plant-based nutrition for healthy black communities- Plant power to the people! World Food Day 2020 panel of doctors share nutrition info
Podcast Fresh Produce – ready to eat and ready to explore from Institute of Food Technologists Sci dish series
University of Alabama Birmingham’s Harvest for Health program & research paired cancer survivors with master gardeners to grow food in their home gardens, with improvements in physical exercise, nutrition, self-confidence & sense of control.
Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA) nonprofit is working to achieve nutrition equity in the United States by uplifting the voices of Black women and girls in food.
Videos & webinars oN NUTRITION
ICYMI: Mi Plato Para Ti: Developing an evidence-based, culturally relevant Hispanic American toolkit based on the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
MiPlato Your Way resources in English and Spanish provides a 5 day sample menu using traditional Hispanic foods and dishes, meal tips, and Action Cookbook.
Optimizing Nutrient Release from Plant-based Foods research from Dr. Cathrina Edwards, Quadram Institute
Phipps Conservatory’s plant-forward nutrition basics webinar, video & blog
Plant based/nutrition conference session 111 panel the topic - overcoming barriers to dietary change
Plants, the Microbiome, and Mental Health TEDXMileHigh talk from C. Lowry & positives of eating greater variety of plants
Vegetarian Nutrition practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics webinars
Website https://plantsforhumanhealth.ncsu.edu/2020/01/15/starting-the-year-off-with-a-bam/
MiPlato Your Way resources in English and Spanish provides a 5 day sample menu using traditional Hispanic foods and dishes, meal tips, and Action Cookbook.
Optimizing Nutrient Release from Plant-based Foods research from Dr. Cathrina Edwards, Quadram Institute
Phipps Conservatory’s plant-forward nutrition basics webinar, video & blog
Plant based/nutrition conference session 111 panel the topic - overcoming barriers to dietary change
Plants, the Microbiome, and Mental Health TEDXMileHigh talk from C. Lowry & positives of eating greater variety of plants
Vegetarian Nutrition practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics webinars
Website https://plantsforhumanhealth.ncsu.edu/2020/01/15/starting-the-year-off-with-a-bam/
Related organizations
Written & compiled by Lesley Fleming, Brandy-Joe Milliron Nov 2021; revised in 2022 by Lesley Fleming, Siang Tham; revised in 2023 by Lesley Fleming, Bree Stark
FOOD ACTION INITIATIVES
“Food action, a newer term referring to a broad range of initiatives addressing food security, focuses on using food to alleviate health deficits and hunger. Organizations supporting food security, many with a specific focus on food insecurity elements have emerged including food literacy groups like dietician-led school food programs, food upskilling festivals from ecology groups, and Washington State University Bread Lab’s whole-grain bread promotion among cooks, educators, students, and entrepreneurs (Food Tank, 2016; Island Food Network, 2019) (Fleming, 2021).
Strategies for food action include traditional and alternative food networks – food alliances, community food banks, expanding number of farmers’ markets, community kitchens and freezers, mobile and pop-up food markets, community bulk buying clubs, food pharmacies, meal programs, & seed exchanges. As noted in previous categories of the horticulture for health framework, community gardens, urban farms and small scale food production sites including home gardens are part of food action. COVID-19 & its food scarcities impact on health generated new research (Payan et al., 2022; Cardarelli et al., 2021).
Related initiatives like the food is medicine movement and produce prescription programs
(Fleming et al., 2022; Aiyer et al., 2019; Bhat et al., 2021; Gardield et al., 2021; ), involving nutritious food/produce are expanding in tandem with the other food action projects, where community nonprofits, health providers and other agencies are trying to address food insecurity & its related health problems.
Refer to the other subsets in the Resource Hub’s Food, Nutrition & Food Action category
“Food action, a newer term referring to a broad range of initiatives addressing food security, focuses on using food to alleviate health deficits and hunger. Organizations supporting food security, many with a specific focus on food insecurity elements have emerged including food literacy groups like dietician-led school food programs, food upskilling festivals from ecology groups, and Washington State University Bread Lab’s whole-grain bread promotion among cooks, educators, students, and entrepreneurs (Food Tank, 2016; Island Food Network, 2019) (Fleming, 2021).
Strategies for food action include traditional and alternative food networks – food alliances, community food banks, expanding number of farmers’ markets, community kitchens and freezers, mobile and pop-up food markets, community bulk buying clubs, food pharmacies, meal programs, & seed exchanges. As noted in previous categories of the horticulture for health framework, community gardens, urban farms and small scale food production sites including home gardens are part of food action. COVID-19 & its food scarcities impact on health generated new research (Payan et al., 2022; Cardarelli et al., 2021).
Related initiatives like the food is medicine movement and produce prescription programs
(Fleming et al., 2022; Aiyer et al., 2019; Bhat et al., 2021; Gardield et al., 2021; ), involving nutritious food/produce are expanding in tandem with the other food action projects, where community nonprofits, health providers and other agencies are trying to address food insecurity & its related health problems.
Refer to the other subsets in the Resource Hub’s Food, Nutrition & Food Action category
Key organizations
Affordable Care Act (PPACA), 42 USC §9007
FAO. IFAD. UNICEF. WFP. WHO. (2020). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020. Food and Agriculture Organization; Rome, Italy.
Feeding America – supports a network of over 200 food banks, connecting them with food, funds, and partnership in four key areas: food programs, food rescue, disaster response and hunger research.
Feeding Florida
Feeding South Florida
Food Secure Canada – an alliance of organizations & individuals seeking “to advance food security & food sovereignty through three interlocking goals: zero hunger, healthy & safe food, and sustainable food systems”
Food Tank – a global community advocating for food system change
HEAL Food Alliance – organization focused on building food systems that are sustainable, accessible, fair & health-focused
Planting Justice – aids people impacted by mass incarceration & transition from prison using horticulture, food justice, & growing skill development
Slow Food USA – “works at creating change in food systems, reconnecting Americans with people, tradition, plants, animals, fertile soils and water that produce food…that is good, clean & fair”
Teens for Food Justice
The Community Food Security Coalition – a coalition of nearly 300 organizations dedicated to improving community food security. They provide support through a “comprehensive blend” of training, networking and advocacy.
USDA Office of Community Food Systems - has regional contacts, piles of resources, funding for the more than 7,000 school gardens, farm to school programs, and other organizations
FAO. IFAD. UNICEF. WFP. WHO. (2020). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020. Food and Agriculture Organization; Rome, Italy.
Feeding America – supports a network of over 200 food banks, connecting them with food, funds, and partnership in four key areas: food programs, food rescue, disaster response and hunger research.
Feeding Florida
Feeding South Florida
Food Secure Canada – an alliance of organizations & individuals seeking “to advance food security & food sovereignty through three interlocking goals: zero hunger, healthy & safe food, and sustainable food systems”
Food Tank – a global community advocating for food system change
HEAL Food Alliance – organization focused on building food systems that are sustainable, accessible, fair & health-focused
Planting Justice – aids people impacted by mass incarceration & transition from prison using horticulture, food justice, & growing skill development
Slow Food USA – “works at creating change in food systems, reconnecting Americans with people, tradition, plants, animals, fertile soils and water that produce food…that is good, clean & fair”
Teens for Food Justice
The Community Food Security Coalition – a coalition of nearly 300 organizations dedicated to improving community food security. They provide support through a “comprehensive blend” of training, networking and advocacy.
USDA Office of Community Food Systems - has regional contacts, piles of resources, funding for the more than 7,000 school gardens, farm to school programs, and other organizations
Books, journals & epublications ON food action initiatives
American Journal of Health Promotion
CAWR. (2021). Everyday Experts: How Peoples Knowledge can Transform the Food System. (free download).
Civil Eats
Food Security The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food journal
Goodman, D, DuPuis, E. & Goodman, M. (2012). Alternative Food Networks Knowledge, Practice, and Politics. Routledge.
Health Promotion International journal
Journal of Community Health
Journal of Food Security
Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition
Little, A. (2019). The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World. Harmony.
Nutrition and Health Journal
Ronald, P.C. & Adamchak, R.W. (2018). Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food. Oxford University Press; 2nd edition.
CAWR. (2021). Everyday Experts: How Peoples Knowledge can Transform the Food System. (free download).
Civil Eats
Food Security The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food journal
Goodman, D, DuPuis, E. & Goodman, M. (2012). Alternative Food Networks Knowledge, Practice, and Politics. Routledge.
Health Promotion International journal
Journal of Community Health
Journal of Food Security
Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition
Little, A. (2019). The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World. Harmony.
Nutrition and Health Journal
Ronald, P.C. & Adamchak, R.W. (2018). Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food. Oxford University Press; 2nd edition.
Research & articles on FOOD ACTION INITIATIVES
Recently published selected research & articles:
Agostino, J. (2023). How an NYC nonprofit is redesigning food pantries. Food Tank.
Aiyer, J.N., Raber, M., Bello, R.S., Brewster, A., Caballero, E., Chennisi, C., Durand, C., Galindez, M., Oestman, K., Saifuddin, M., Tektiridis, J., Young, R. & Sharma, S.V. (2019). A pilot food prescription program promotes produce intake and decreases food insecurity. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 9(5), 922-930. doi:10.1093/tbm/ibz112
Alemu, M.H. & Grebitus, C. (2020). Towards sustainable urban food systems: Analyzing contextual and intrapsychic drivers of growing food in small-scale urban agriculture. PLoS One, 15(12), e0243949. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243949
Anon. (2010). Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), 42 USC §9007
Aragon, N.U., Stuhlmacher, M., Smith, J. P., Clinton, N. & Georgescu, M. (2019). Urban agriculture's bounty: Contributions to Phoenix's sustainability goals. Environ. Res. Lett., 14, 105001. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab428f
Bailey, C.J., Drummond, M.J. & Ward, P.R. (2019). Food literacy programmes in secondary schools: A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence. Public Health Nutr., 22(15), 2891-2913. doi: 10.1017/S1368980019001666
Barthel, S. & Isendahl, C. (2020). Urban gardens, agriculture, and water management: Sources of resilience for long-term food security in cities. Ecol. Economics., 86, 224-234.
Bazereghi, C., McKay, F. & Dunn, M. (2016). The role of food banks in addressing food insecurity: A systemic review. Journal of Community Health, 41(4), 732-740. doi: 10.1007/s10900-015-0147-5
Beckie, M., Huddart Kennedy, E. & Wittman, H. (2012). Scaling up alternative food networks: Farmers’ markets and the role of clustering in western Canada. Agriculture and Human Value, 29(3), 333-345.
Bhat, S., Coyle, D.H., Trieu, K., Neal, B., Mozaffarian, D., Marklund, M. & Wu J.H.Y. (2021). Healthy food prescription programs and their impact on dietary behavior and cardiometabolic risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Advanced Nutrition, 12(5), 1944-1956. doi:10.1093/advances/nmab039
Bianchini, D., De Antonellis, V., De Franceschi, N. & Melchiori, M. (2017). PREFer: A prescription-based food recommender system. Computer Standards & Interfaces, 54(2), 64-75.
Brostow, DP., E. Gunzburger, E. & Thomas, KS. (2017). Food insecurity among veterans: Findings from the health and retirement study. The J. Nutr., Health and Aging, 21(10), 1358-1364.
Bryce, R., Guajardo, C., Ilarraza, D., Milgrom, N., Pike, D., Savoie, K., Valbuena, F. & Miller-Matero, LR. (2018). Participation in a farmers’ market fruit and vegetable prescription program at a federally qualified health center improves hemoglobin A1C in low income uncontrolled diabetics. Preventative Medicine Report, 7, 176-179. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.06.006
Buss, D. (2021). Feeding the world better. Food Technology Magazine.
Butterfield, K.L. & Ramírez, A.S. (2021). Framing food access: Do community gardens inadvertently reproduce inequality? Health Educ Behav., 48(2), 160-168. doi: 10.1177/1090198120950617
Buyuktuncer, Z., Kearney, M., Ryan, C.L., Thurston, M. & Ellahi, B. (2014). Fruit and vegetables on prescription: A brief intervention in primary care. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 27(suppl 2), 186-193.
Carney, P.A., Hamada, J.L., Rdesinski, R., Sprager, L., Nichols, K.R., Liu, B.Y. Pelayo, J., Sanchez, M.A. & Shannon, J. (2012). Impact of a community gardening project on vegetable intake, food security and family relationships: A community-based participatory research study. J Community Health., 37(4), 874-81. doi: 10.1007/s10900-011-9522-z
Cavanagh, M., Jurkowski, J., Bozlak, C., Hastings, J. & Klein, A. (2017). Veggie Rx: An outcome evaluation of a healthy food incentive programme. Public Health Nutrition, 20(14), 2636-2641.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Programs. (2019). Medicare and Medicaid programs: Revisions to requirements for discharge planning for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and home health agencies, and hospital and critical access hospital changes to promote innovation, flexibility, and improvements in patient care. Federal Register.
Cerda, C. (2020). Urban gardening as a response to food supply issues in dense urban areas during the COVID-19 crisis. The Nature of Cities.
Chicoma, J.L. (2023). Latin America’s food paradox. Food Tank.
Coleman-Jensen, A. & Rabbitt, M.P. (2021). Food pantry use increased in 2020 for most types of U.S. households. U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.
Corrigan, J., Fisher, E. & Heiser, S. (2015). Hospital community benefit programs: Increasing benefits to communities. Journal American Medical Association, 313(12), 1211–1212. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.0609
Cullen, T., Hatch, J., Martin, W., Higgins, J.W. & Sheppard, R. (2015). Food literacy: Definition and framework for action. Can J Diet Pract Res., 76(3), 140-5. doi: 10.3148/cjdpr-2015-010
Cueva, K., Speakman, K., Neault, N., Richards, J., Lovato, V., Parker, S., Carroll, D., Sundbo, A. & Barlow, A. (2020). Cultural connectedness as obesity prevention: Indigenous youth perspectives on feast for the future. J Nutr Educ Behav., 52(6), 632-639. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2019.11.009
Currey, C.J., VanDerZanden, AM. & Mitchell, J.J. (2018). Increasing student awareness and understanding of food security by integrating a service-learning project into an undergraduate hydroponic food production course. HortTechnology, 28(4). https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04034-18
Darmody, M. (2022). Widening capabilities through a food and sustainability education initiative. Educational Action Research, 30(4), 585-603.
Diekmann, L.O., Gray, L.D. & Thai, C.L. (2020). More than food: The social benefits of localized urban food systems. Front. Sustain. Food Systems., 4, 169.
Dimitri, C., Oberholtzer, L. & Pressman, A. (2016). Urban agriculture: Connecting producers with consumers. Br. Food J., 118, 603–617. doi: 10.1108/BFJ-06-2015-0200
Ebel, R., Fallahi, E., Griffis Jr, J.L., Nandwani, D., Nolan, D., Penhallegon, R.H. & Rogers, M. (2019). Urban horticulture, from local initiatives to global success stories. HortTechnology, 30(1). https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04525-19
Ecology Action Centre. (2017). The Our Food Project Reconnecting Food and Community 2013-2017. Ecology Action Centre.
El Zein, A., Shelnutt, K.P., Colby, S., Vilaro, M.J., Zhou, W., Greene, G., Olfert, M.D., Riggsbee, K., Morrell, J.S. & Mathews, A.E. (2019). Prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among U.S. college students: A multi-institutional study. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 660. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6943-6
Fleming, L. (2022). Nova Scotia food alliances. Digging In, 8(3), 1-3.
Fleming, L. (2022). Health benefits of food gardening – more expansive than improved nutrition. Cultivate, 2(3), 1-6.
Fleming, L., Zhang, W. & Nelson, K. (2022). Horticulture for health in U.S. hospitals: Horticultural therapy, gardens in hospitals, nutrition-led programs & affiliated community gardens. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 32(1), 13-32.
Fleming, L. (2021). Horticulture for health framework. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1330: XV International People Plant Symposium and II International Symposium on Horticultural Therapies: The Role of Horticulture in Human Well-being and Social Development.
Foodtank. (2021). New report reveals how food banks responded to COVID-19.
Foodtank. (2021). Indigenous food security at risk following push for conservation plan.
Food Tank. (2016). 35 food education organizations.
Fresán, U. & Sabaté, J. (2019). Vegetarian diets: Planetary health and its alignment with human health. Adv Nutr., 10(Suppl_4), S380-S388. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmz019
Gallegos, D. & Chilton, M.M. (2019). Re-evaluating: Principles for food and nutrition security research, advocacy and solutions in high-income countries. Int J Environ Res Public Health., 16(4), 561. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16040561
Gany, F., Lee, T., Loeb, R., Ramirez, J., Moran, A., Crist, M., McNish, T. & Leng, J.C.F. (2015). Use of hospital-based food pantries among low-income urban cancer patients. Journal Community Health, 40(6), 1193- 1200. doi:10.1007/s10900-015-0048-7
Garfield, K., Scott, E., Sukys, S., Downer, S., Landauer, R., Orr, J., Friedman, R., Dushko, M., Broad Leib, E. & Greenwald, R. (2021). Mainstreaming produce prescriptions: A policy strategy report. Harvard Law School Center for Health Law & Policy Innovation.
George, D.R., Rovniak, L.S., Kraschnewski, J.L., Hanson, R. & Sciamanna, C.N. (2015). A growing opportunity: Community gardens affiliated with US hospitals and academic health centers. Preventative Medicine Reports, 2, 35-39.
Gibbs, H.D., Ellerbeck, E.F., Gajewski, B., Zhang, C. & Sullivan, D.K. (2018). The Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument (NLit) is a valid and reliable measure of nutrition literacy in adults with chronic disease. J Nutr Educ Behav.,50(3), 247-257. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2017.10.008
Goddu, A., Roberson, T., Raffel, K., Chin, M. & Peek, M. (2015). Food Rx: A community-university partnership to prescribe healthy eating on the south side of Chicago. Journal of Preventative Interventions Community, 43(2), 148-162. doi: 10.1080/10852352.2014.973251
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Lal, R. (2020). Home gardening and urban agriculture for advancing food and nutritional security in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Secur., 23, 1-6. doi: 10.1007/s12571-020-01058-3
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Milliron, B.J., Vitolins, M.S., Gamble, E., Jones, R., Chenault, M.C. & Tooze, J.S. (2017). Process evaluation of a community garden at an urban outpatient Clinic. J Community Health., 42(4), 639-648. doi: 10.1007/s10900-016-0299-y
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Gibbs, H.D., Ellerbeck, E.F., Gajewski, B., Zhang, C. & Sullivan, D.K. (2018). The Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument (NLit) is a valid and reliable measure of nutrition literacy in adults with chronic disease. J Nutr Educ Behav.,50(3), 247-257. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2017.10.008
Goddu, A., Roberson, T., Raffel, K., Chin, M. & Peek, M. (2015). Food Rx: A community-university partnership to prescribe healthy eating on the south side of Chicago. Journal of Preventative Interventions Community, 43(2), 148-162. doi: 10.1080/10852352.2014.973251
Grafius, D.R., Edmondson, J.L., Norton, B.A., Clark, R., Mears, M., Leake, J.R., Corstanje, R., Harris, J.A. & Warren, P.H. (2020). Estimating food production in an urban landscape. Sci Rep., 10(1), 5141. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-62126-4
Grebitus, C. (2021). Small-scale urban agriculture: Drivers of growing produce at home and in community gardens in Detroit. PLoS One, 16(9), e0256913. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256913
Island Food Network. (2019). Upskilling.
Knowles, M., Khan, S., Palakshappa, D., Cahill, R., Kruger, E., Pserina, B.G., Koch, B. & Chilton, M. (2018). Successes, challenges, and considerations for integrating referral into food insecurity screening in pediatric settings. Journal Health Care Poor Underserved, 29(1), 181-191. doi:10.1353/hpu.2018.0012
Kowalski, J. & Barrett, E. (2020). Increasing food security through extension master gardener programming in northeast Ohio. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1279: XXX International Horticultural Congress IHC2018: Vll Conference on Landscape and Urban Horticulture, lV Conference on Turfgrass Management and Science for Sports Fields and ll Symposium on Mechanization, Precision Horticulture, and Robotics.
Krause, C., Sommerhalder, K., Beer-Borst, S. & Abel, T. (2018). Just a subtle difference? Findings from a systematic review on definitions of nutrition literacy and food literacy. Health Promot Int., 33(3), 378-389. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daw084
Kromann Nielsen, M. Malberg Dyg, P. & Wistoft, K. (2020). Outdoor taste education: Danish perspectives on potentials and challenges for taste education in school gardens and outdoor education. Food Culture & Society, 23(4), 523-541.
Lal, R. (2020). Home gardening and urban agriculture for advancing food and nutritional security in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Secur., 23, 1-6. doi: 10.1007/s12571-020-01058-3
Lane, H.G., Turner, L., Dunn C.G., Hager, E.R. & Fleischhacker, S. (2020). Leveraging implementation science in the public health response to COVID-19: Child food insecurity and federal nutrition assistance programs. Public Health Rep., 135(6), 728-736. doi: 10.1177/0033354920959285
Loopstra, R. & Tarasuk, V. (2013). Perspectives on community gardens, community kitchens and the Good Food Box program in a community-based sample of low-income families. Can J Public Health., 104(1), e55-9. doi: 10.1007/BF03405655
Lundeen, E.A., Siegel, K.R., Calhoun, H., Kim, S.A., Garcia, S.P., Hoeting, N.M. et al. (2017). Clinical-community partnerships to identify patients with food insecurity and address food needs. Prev Chronic Dis., 14, 170343. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd14.170343external icon
Ma, N., Peng, L., Soon, W., Noor Hassim, C.F., Misbah, M.F., Rahmatz, S.Z. et al. (2021). Covid-19 pandemic in the lens of food safety and security. Environ. Res., 193, 110405. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110405
Mack, E.A., Tong, D. & Credit, K. (2017). Gardening in the desert: A spatial optimization approach to locating gardens in rapidly expanding urban environments. Int J Health Geogr., 16(1), 37. doi: 10.1186/s12942-017-0110-z
MacRae, R. & Donahue, K. (2013). Municipal Food Policy Entrepreneurs: A preliminary analysis of how Canadian cities and regional districts are involved in food system change.
Martin, P., Consalès, J.N., Scheromm, P., Marchand, P., Ghestem, F. & Darmon, N. (2017). Community gardening in poor neighborhoods in France: A way to re-think food practices? Appetite, 116, 589-598. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.05.023
Milliron, B.J., Vitolins, M.S., Gamble, E., Jones, R., Chenault, M.C. & Tooze, J.S. (2017). Process evaluation of a community garden at an urban outpatient Clinic. J Community Health., 42(4), 639-648. doi: 10.1007/s10900-016-0299-y
Nanayakkara, J., Margerison, C. & Worsley, A. (2018). Senior secondary school food literacy education: Importance, challenges, and ways of improving. Nutrients, 10(9), 1316. doi: 10.3390/nu10091316.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture. (n.d.). Hunger and food security programs.
National Produce Prescription Collaborative. (2022a). National produce prescription collaborative.
National Produce Prescription Collaborative. (2022b). Produce prescription programs in the U.S., 2010-2020.
Nierenberg, D. (2023). When we talk about college campuses, we’re forgetting food insecurity. Food Tank.
O’Reilly, B.J. (2022). Raising food for health, happiness and purpose. 27east.com.
Peduruhewa, P.S., Jayathunge, K.G.L.R. & Liyanage, R. (2021). Potential of underutilized wild edible plants as the food for the future – A review. Journal of Food Security, 9(4), 136-147.
Perry, E., Thomas, H., Samra, H.R., Edmonstone, S., Davidson, L., Faulkner, A., Petermann, L. Manafò, E. & Kirkpatrick, S.I. (2017). Identifying attributes of food literacy: A scoping review. Public Health Nutr., 20(13), 2406-2415. doi: 10.1017/S1368980017001276.
Porter, C. (2019). What gardens grow: Outcomes from home and community gardens supported community-based food justice organizations. Journal of Food Systems Community
Development, 19(8 Suppl.1), 187-205.
Rhodes, E. (2022). Breaking down silos to end hunger. Food Tank.
Ruiz, L.D., Radtke, M.D. & Scherr, R.E. (2021). Development and pilot testing of a food literacy curriculum for high school-aged adolescents. Nutrients, 13(5), 1532. doi: 10.3390/nu13051532
Sano, M. (2023). Transforming youth education and regenerating land. Food Tank.
Sant'Anna de Medeiros, N., do Carmo, D.L., Priore, S.E. & Santos, R.H.S. (2020). Diverse food in urban gardens in the promotion of food and nutrition security in Brazil: A review. J Sci Food Agric., 100(4), 1383-1391. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.10127
Siegner, A., Sowerwine, J. & Acey, C. (2018). Does urban agriculture improve food security? Examining the nexus of food access and distribution of urban produced foods in the United States: A systematic review. Sustainability, 10, 2988.
Swartz, H. (2018). Produce Rx programs for diet-based chronic disease prevention. AMA Journal of Ethics, 20(10), E960-973. doi: 10.1001/amajethics.2018.960
Thompson, C., Adams, J. & Vidgen, H.A. (2021). Are we closer to international consensus on the term 'food literacy'? A systematic scoping review of its use in the academic literature (1998-2019). Nutrients, 13(6), 2006. doi: 10.3390/nu13062006.
Timler, K., Varcoe, C., & Brown, H. (2019). Growing beyond nutrition: How a prison garden program highlights the potential of shifting from food security to food sovereignty for indigenous peoples. International Journal of Indegenous Health, 14(2), 95-114.
Tiwari, S. & Ambinakudige, S. (2021). Neighborhood food insecurity index to identify food vulnerability and food deserts in the United States. Journal of Food Security, 9(4), 148-159. doi: 10.12691/jfs-94-2.
Torgrimson, J. (2015). Seed banks are the first line of defense in food security. Seed Savers Exchange.
Truman, E., Bischoff, M. & Elliott, C. (2020). Which literacy for health promotion: Health, food, nutrition or media? Health Promot Int., 35(2), 432-444. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daz007
Ulian, T. & Diazrananados, M. et al. (2020). Unlocking plant resources to support food security and promote sustainable agriculture. Plants People Plant, 2(5), 421-445.
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Examples of food action initiatives
Acta Non Verba Youth Urban Farm Project (ANV) Oakland CA is a safe outdoor space for children, youth and families focused on nutrition, food production and healthy living, founded & led mainly by women of color.
Afri-Can Food Basket organization works towards food justice, food access and enhancing nutrition, health & employment of Toronto’s African, Caribbean & Black community donating food baskets to food insecure, creating 100 community & backyard gardens with youth horticulture programs.
Beacon Food Forest in Seattle Washington is open to the public to forage on the 7 acre plot adjacent to a local park.
Center for Food Action New Jersey offers a variety of programs including community & school gardens with food production, along with emergency food programs, homelessness prevention, weekend snack pack programs & food chests.
Cleveland Crops offers agricultural & culinary training to adults with disabilities in Cleveland with the urban farm productive year round
DC UrbanGreens nonprofit seeks to increase accessibility to affordable healthy foods for residents living in DC’s food desert neighborhoods
Feed the Future programs from Food Bank Santa Barbara (CA) has a host of programs for children: Kids Farmers Market, Healthy School Pantry, Food Literacy in Preschool (FLIP), Picnic in the Park (PIP), & Teens Love Cooking. Other programs available to other groups & individuals.
Fleet Farming, a social enterprise & nonprofit in central Florida offers a model where lawns become edible gardens and micro-farms
Food Tank annual conference hosts speakers, videos at its gathering Food 2025 (2023 conference theme) with a focus on food insecurity & food systems.
Grace Grows in Gainesville Fl provides community development, therapeutic horticulture, education in partnership with the Univ of Florida Doctor of Plant Medicine Program, these people-plant programs empowering individuals to grow nutritious food, learn vocational horticulture skills while addressing homelessness & food insecurity.
Green Haven Project in Overtown, FL is a non-profit organization that creates community gardens in food deserts and provides locally grown food free to community members. They also provide educational workshops on horticulture and nutrition for youth.
Greener Partners strengthens community health through equitable fresh food access, abundant gardens and farms, and discovery-based learning.
GrowNYC promotes food access, agriculture, green space, education, with a website offering resources scalable for other communities
Grow2Heal Hospital Garden in southwest Florida has an affiliated vegetable farm for food production, education re nutrition, at Baptist Health’s Homestead Hospital
Hospital Garden model shows hospital sky farm used for patients & cafeterias, a newer example of horticulture-health connections with a food action focus
Infinite Zion Farms Urban Farmers Alliance is located in a food desert in Apopka Fl. & has grown from a market to a movement, creating a food alliance, group purchasing power and more.
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center’s gardening, nutrition & horticultural therapy programs in the Bronx, NY includes a wide array of plant-based activities in this community setting.
Kentucky’s Food Action Network works to create accessible and resilient food systems. This includes policy, agriculture & food systems, child feeding programs & institutional procurement program.
Loaves & Fishes Community Services provides food & services to food insecure in Naperville, Il.
Main Line Health offers several food initiatives in support of community health including: Deaver Wellness Farm programs & farm to hospital program, hospital farm planning and management, improved hospital food, healthcare & medical student training, & Corner Store medical clinic.
MANNA is a Philadelphia-based organization that uses nutrition to improve health for people with serious illnesses by providing medically tailored meals and nutrition education.
Nature Rx is a nature prescription program through Cornell Health, in Ithaca, NY. Built on the model first developed by Park Rx American, at Nature Rx, Cornell Health clinicians and mental health providers prescribe nature to students.
Nourish Nova Scotia organization administered by registered dieticians, has resources on food literacy programming, school gardens, recipes, guides/templates for letters, fundraising, volunteer recruitment on its site
Plant Chicago organization works towards making cities healthier and more efficient by developing and sharing innovative sustainable food production, energy conservation, and material reuse through several different types of programs like local produce food box & farmers markets.
Plant a Row program from the Garden Communicators International encourages individual gardeners to plant extra produce to be donated to food banks, soup kitchens & community agencies.
Sanctuary Farms in urban Philadelphia uses abandoned & neglected areas making them spaces that promote safety, hospitality, nutrition & growth while improving inequities from systemic racial oppression & economic injustice.
Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Center (Canada) uses an urban farm to strengthen community & food security using a social return on investment model to validate its success with food production, food donations, & client educational classes.
Seattle WA’s Food Action Plan has updated its strategic priorities addressing community food insecurity, land use, food waste, & community grant programs.
University of Vermont Medical Center launched gardening for health program in 2020.
Urban Agriculture Resilience Program collaboration between American Public Gardens & local public gardens integrate urban food growing at their sites, in conjunction with local community groups.
Western Maryland Health System has 5 sites for community gardens affiliated with its hospitals.
Windy City Harvest “Food as Medicine Project” in conjunction with Chicago Horticultural Society participated in this project, with funding from Nat. Institute of Food & Agric. Addressing goal #39 to “increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers participating in SNAP by providing incentives at point of purchase”. This included health care education, coupons at farmers’ markets, produce boxes, education sessions, Youth Farm & Corps programs.
80 Acres Farms in Cincinnati, OH. is building a large fully automated indoor farm for commercial production.
Afri-Can Food Basket organization works towards food justice, food access and enhancing nutrition, health & employment of Toronto’s African, Caribbean & Black community donating food baskets to food insecure, creating 100 community & backyard gardens with youth horticulture programs.
Beacon Food Forest in Seattle Washington is open to the public to forage on the 7 acre plot adjacent to a local park.
Center for Food Action New Jersey offers a variety of programs including community & school gardens with food production, along with emergency food programs, homelessness prevention, weekend snack pack programs & food chests.
Cleveland Crops offers agricultural & culinary training to adults with disabilities in Cleveland with the urban farm productive year round
DC UrbanGreens nonprofit seeks to increase accessibility to affordable healthy foods for residents living in DC’s food desert neighborhoods
Feed the Future programs from Food Bank Santa Barbara (CA) has a host of programs for children: Kids Farmers Market, Healthy School Pantry, Food Literacy in Preschool (FLIP), Picnic in the Park (PIP), & Teens Love Cooking. Other programs available to other groups & individuals.
Fleet Farming, a social enterprise & nonprofit in central Florida offers a model where lawns become edible gardens and micro-farms
Food Tank annual conference hosts speakers, videos at its gathering Food 2025 (2023 conference theme) with a focus on food insecurity & food systems.
Grace Grows in Gainesville Fl provides community development, therapeutic horticulture, education in partnership with the Univ of Florida Doctor of Plant Medicine Program, these people-plant programs empowering individuals to grow nutritious food, learn vocational horticulture skills while addressing homelessness & food insecurity.
Green Haven Project in Overtown, FL is a non-profit organization that creates community gardens in food deserts and provides locally grown food free to community members. They also provide educational workshops on horticulture and nutrition for youth.
Greener Partners strengthens community health through equitable fresh food access, abundant gardens and farms, and discovery-based learning.
GrowNYC promotes food access, agriculture, green space, education, with a website offering resources scalable for other communities
Grow2Heal Hospital Garden in southwest Florida has an affiliated vegetable farm for food production, education re nutrition, at Baptist Health’s Homestead Hospital
Hospital Garden model shows hospital sky farm used for patients & cafeterias, a newer example of horticulture-health connections with a food action focus
Infinite Zion Farms Urban Farmers Alliance is located in a food desert in Apopka Fl. & has grown from a market to a movement, creating a food alliance, group purchasing power and more.
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center’s gardening, nutrition & horticultural therapy programs in the Bronx, NY includes a wide array of plant-based activities in this community setting.
Kentucky’s Food Action Network works to create accessible and resilient food systems. This includes policy, agriculture & food systems, child feeding programs & institutional procurement program.
Loaves & Fishes Community Services provides food & services to food insecure in Naperville, Il.
Main Line Health offers several food initiatives in support of community health including: Deaver Wellness Farm programs & farm to hospital program, hospital farm planning and management, improved hospital food, healthcare & medical student training, & Corner Store medical clinic.
MANNA is a Philadelphia-based organization that uses nutrition to improve health for people with serious illnesses by providing medically tailored meals and nutrition education.
Nature Rx is a nature prescription program through Cornell Health, in Ithaca, NY. Built on the model first developed by Park Rx American, at Nature Rx, Cornell Health clinicians and mental health providers prescribe nature to students.
Nourish Nova Scotia organization administered by registered dieticians, has resources on food literacy programming, school gardens, recipes, guides/templates for letters, fundraising, volunteer recruitment on its site
Plant Chicago organization works towards making cities healthier and more efficient by developing and sharing innovative sustainable food production, energy conservation, and material reuse through several different types of programs like local produce food box & farmers markets.
Plant a Row program from the Garden Communicators International encourages individual gardeners to plant extra produce to be donated to food banks, soup kitchens & community agencies.
Sanctuary Farms in urban Philadelphia uses abandoned & neglected areas making them spaces that promote safety, hospitality, nutrition & growth while improving inequities from systemic racial oppression & economic injustice.
Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Center (Canada) uses an urban farm to strengthen community & food security using a social return on investment model to validate its success with food production, food donations, & client educational classes.
Seattle WA’s Food Action Plan has updated its strategic priorities addressing community food insecurity, land use, food waste, & community grant programs.
University of Vermont Medical Center launched gardening for health program in 2020.
Urban Agriculture Resilience Program collaboration between American Public Gardens & local public gardens integrate urban food growing at their sites, in conjunction with local community groups.
Western Maryland Health System has 5 sites for community gardens affiliated with its hospitals.
Windy City Harvest “Food as Medicine Project” in conjunction with Chicago Horticultural Society participated in this project, with funding from Nat. Institute of Food & Agric. Addressing goal #39 to “increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers participating in SNAP by providing incentives at point of purchase”. This included health care education, coupons at farmers’ markets, produce boxes, education sessions, Youth Farm & Corps programs.
80 Acres Farms in Cincinnati, OH. is building a large fully automated indoor farm for commercial production.
Videos & webinars oN FOOD ACTION INITIATIVES
Academy of Culinary Nutrition website lists organizations addressing food insecurity in North America.
Alachua County Farm to School program in Florida uses its website, video & resources to promote use of locally grown produce in school settings.
Cornell University Garden-based Learning: Voices in Food Justice series discusses food sovereignty in local communities. Various leaders present background information, video & group discussion questions.
FoodCloud video explains using food leftovers for Irish communities, scalable for other places. EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017
Food Literacy video from Nourish Nova Scotia
Food Navigator website has webinars, newsletter
Netflix documentary Rotten highlights the problems with demand for food, security across the globe
No Kid Hungry (US) organization focuses on education of kids & parents providing programs on food budgeting, No Kid Hungry campaign, support for summer meals, school breakfast & afterschool meal programs.
Sowing the Seeds of Success was designed in partnership with the American Horticultural Society, and provides instructions re the organizational aspects of developing a gardening program.
University of California Food Action website is a portal supporting events, information re global food initiatives including commitment of the university’s campus food security, zero waste dining facilities & classes on sustainable eating.
Unlocking Plant Resources to Support Food Security and Promote Sustainable Agriculture video and research paper examines the global state of edible plants, particularly key neglected and underutilized species as a strategy for addressing food security.
Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre in Nunavut northern Canada builds food sovereignty in Iqaluit using food, traditions and a daily community hot meal, as well as offering Piruqtuviniit food boxes, food education, these intended to increase healthy food access.
Alachua County Farm to School program in Florida uses its website, video & resources to promote use of locally grown produce in school settings.
Cornell University Garden-based Learning: Voices in Food Justice series discusses food sovereignty in local communities. Various leaders present background information, video & group discussion questions.
FoodCloud video explains using food leftovers for Irish communities, scalable for other places. EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017
Food Literacy video from Nourish Nova Scotia
Food Navigator website has webinars, newsletter
Netflix documentary Rotten highlights the problems with demand for food, security across the globe
No Kid Hungry (US) organization focuses on education of kids & parents providing programs on food budgeting, No Kid Hungry campaign, support for summer meals, school breakfast & afterschool meal programs.
Sowing the Seeds of Success was designed in partnership with the American Horticultural Society, and provides instructions re the organizational aspects of developing a gardening program.
University of California Food Action website is a portal supporting events, information re global food initiatives including commitment of the university’s campus food security, zero waste dining facilities & classes on sustainable eating.
Unlocking Plant Resources to Support Food Security and Promote Sustainable Agriculture video and research paper examines the global state of edible plants, particularly key neglected and underutilized species as a strategy for addressing food security.
Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre in Nunavut northern Canada builds food sovereignty in Iqaluit using food, traditions and a daily community hot meal, as well as offering Piruqtuviniit food boxes, food education, these intended to increase healthy food access.
Related organizations
Beacon Food Forest
Dreaming Out Loud Urban Horticulture
Food Glorious Food – UK
Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (Detroit)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hunger & Food Security Programs
The Hunger Project
Urban Harvest (St. Louis, Missouri)
UNICEF
United Nations World Food Progamme
Dreaming Out Loud Urban Horticulture
Food Glorious Food – UK
Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (Detroit)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hunger & Food Security Programs
The Hunger Project
Urban Harvest (St. Louis, Missouri)
UNICEF
United Nations World Food Progamme
Written & compiled by Lesley Fleming, Daniela Perez Lugones, Brandy-Joe Milliron Nov 2021; revised in 2023 by Lesley Fleming, Siang Tham, Bree Stark