July 20: The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, has launched an innovative research initiative, Harvesting Health: Advancing Nutrition and Wellness for Moms and Babies, which aims to advance maternal and child health and promote positive pregnancy outcomes.
Leading-edge research with real-world impact
“Harvesting Health brings together the very best in science and public health: rigorous community-engaged study design with robust, comprehensive clinical outcome assessment; multisector partnerships; and an outstanding team of interdisciplinary researchers and clinicians,” said Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, Ph.D., a registered and licensed dietitian who serves as associate director for Healthy Living at the IHA, professor in the Department of Nutrition and principal investigator of the Harvesting Health study. “This study will fill critical gaps in knowledge and practice to help inform transformational, positive change for moms, babies and families in Texas and eventually across the U.S.”
Erica Bender, a certified nurse-midwife and obstetrics-gynecology nurse practitioner, is the clinical program director at the IHA and co-principal investigator of the study. Having delivered nearly 1,000 babies throughout her career, she understands firsthand that expectant mothers are seeking reliable, evidence-based information to support a healthy pregnancy.
Bender noted that while nutrition is widely recognized as one of the most critical factors in the health of both mother and baby, significant gaps in the evidence make it challenging for healthcare providers to offer truly personalized guidance.
“This study will help build the scientific foundation needed to better inform nutrition recommendations, improve pregnancy outcomes and advance the long-term health of future generations,” Bender said. “Maternal health is public health.”
Community participation and eligibility
The study explores how a tailored healthy food kit specifically designed for pregnancy influences maternal and newborn health. Enrollment in the study is open to women who:
- Are 18-45 years old and in their first trimester of pregnancy.
- Reside within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex or College Station area .
- Have access to a smartphone.
Advancing the IHA mission for Texas and beyond
The IHA brings together three synergistic research priorities: precision nutrition, healthy living and responsive agriculture. These areas of research seek science-driven solutions to improve long-term health outcomes for generations to come.
“The Harvesting Health study leverages the IHA’s unique expertise by bringing research out of the lab and into communities,” said IHA director Teresa Davis, Ph.D. “This allows us to execute on IHA’s research priorities to better understand how nutrition during pregnancy can influence health for moms and babies.”
Strengthening public health through research partnerships
The research is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, USDA-ARS, marking a critical collaboration to safeguard public health and strengthen national nutrition security.
“By combining the IHA’s research excellence with USDA-ARS expertise and support, we are creating a framework to leverage agricultural and food systems innovations to bolster wellness and nutrition that will ensure a healthier future for all Texans – and ideally, a solution that can be extended to all Americans,” said Kartik Shankar, Ph.D., USDA-ARS research leader for the Responsive Agricultural Food Systems Research Unit. “Our partnership is geared to provide scientific expertise and an evidence base to address the most urgent nutrition and health challenges facing our communities.”