Research & Findings

What We Have Learned

We study what works and share what we find. This page brings together peer-reviewed publications, reports, and other resources from the Delta GREENS research team. 

Our goal is to contribute useful evidence to the growing field of food-is-medicine and for any organization implementing a FIM program. 

Checkout what we learned below so far. 

Publications

American Journal of Public Health cover, April 2025, Issue 4. The cover features a wooden boardwalk with rope railings extending toward the horizon, photographed from a perspective looking down the walkway. The main theme is "Building Common Ground for Public Health" with article topics including perspectives and practice experiences, communication approaches, depolarizing, mobilizing mayors, and community collaboration.

Amplifying Lived Expertise on “Food Is Medicine” in the Mississippi Delta. Vanessa Nicholson-Robinson, et al. American Journal of Public Health, 2025.

  • Key Takeaway: Food Is Medicine programs work best when they’re designed with the community, guided by local voices, lived experience, and preferences.
  • Why it Matters: In underserved areas with high rates of chronic illness, trust is essential. Programs that center community leadership and dignity are more likely to be used, sustained, and effective over time.

Read the full paper

Cover of Health Affairs Journal featuring yellow, blue, and red colors.

Comparing patient and provider perspectives on a rural, multilevel, community-engaged Food is Medicine intervention. Danielle M Krobath, et al. Health Affairs Scholar, 2026. 

  • Key Takeaway: Patients and providers described different “wins” from Delta GREENS: patients focused on household finances (making food more affordable), while providers focused on health support (better nutrition).
  • Why it Matters: Programs are stronger when they address the “why” behind decisions. Seeing both viewpoints helps connect health goals to the day-to-day financial tradeoffs patients manage.

Read the full paper

Logo for the Frontiers in Nutrition academic journal.

Integrating food is medicine and regenerative agriculture for planetary health. Marcia S. Rahman, et al. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2024.

  • Key Takeaway: Pairing Food is Medicine (FIM) with regenerative agriculture (RA) may tackle two crises at once: diet-related chronic disease and a degrading environment. Together, they point toward a food system that is healthier, fairer, and more resilient.
  • Why it Matters: Human health and the health of the planet rise and fall together. This approach flips food from a leading cause of our medical and ecological crises into a shared solution for both.

Read the full paper