Marine Foods and Nutrition Security Study Overview Food insecurity in the Coastal Bend of Texas is higher than the national average of 13.5%, with about 25% of households experiencing food insecurity as of 2023. In order to combat the rise of food insecurity in this region, the Dr. Natalie Poulos’ Food Security Lab partnered with Dr. Simon Brandl’s Fish & Functions Lab at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute to assess the nutrient fluxes of local fishes and their importance to coastal Texans. This mixed methods study includes a methods such as isotopic testing, fatty acid analysis, field surveys, dietary analysis, and qualitative interviews. Together, we are examining the nutrient availability of local fish species and household food consumption patterns among Texans with specific attention to the use of marine fish species. The data we collect will provide context for our interpretation of food security and importance of blue foods (foods harvested from the water) in coastal Texas while also incorporating the voices of the populations that are most impacted by food and nutrition insecurity in coastal Texas. PI: Simon Brandl, Phd, Co-I: Natalie Poulos, PhD, RD Collaborators & Partners Dr. Simon Brandl is an Assistant Professor at the Marine Science Institute (MSI) at the University of Texas at Austin (MSI). His lab, Fish & Functions Lab, primarily studies the ecology, evolution, and functional role of fishes, predominantly small, bottom-dwelling “cryptos” (short for cryptobenthic fishes), as they are abundant in tropical coastal ecosystems worldwide and account for almost 1/10 of all vertebrate diversity on Earth. Through this partnership, we hope to discover the nutrient diversity of local fishes and compare this nutrition profile with nutrient deficiencies of local Texans to determine if increased local seafood access and/or consumption can aid in improving both food and nutrition security of coastal communities. Coastal Bend Food Bank is the primary Food bank in the Coastal Bend region and provides food to a network of more than 144 agency partners such as food pantries, shelters, senior centers and feeding agencies in 11 counties throughout South Texas. Coastal Bend Food Bank has been a critical partner in this work, as they have provided direct outreach and participant recruitment for this study, as well as provided critical insight into barriers to food access within the community. Check out our Instagram for more information on seafood consumption: What are Blue Foods?
