Structures and systems that promote nutrition security and climate adaptation in Puerto Rico: results from community-based system dynamics

Authors

Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Avenue Washington, DC20052, USA.
Natalia Guerra Uccelli, George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Avenue Washington, DC20052, USA.
Oscar Meléndez-Colón, Trito-Agro-Industrial Services, 521 Avenida Sagrado Corazón, San Juan00915, Puerto Rico.
Ana María García Blanco, Instituto Nueva Escuela, 1101 Altos Ponce De León, Esq Paseo de Diego, San Juan00925, Puerto Rico.
César Ostolaza Santiago, Instituto Nueva Escuela, 1101 Altos Ponce De León, Esq Paseo de Diego, San Juan00925, Puerto Rico.
Carla Rosas Pérez, Instituto Nueva Escuela, 1101 Altos Ponce De León, Esq Paseo de Diego, San Juan00925, Puerto Rico.
Nicolás Gomez Andújar, Asociación Pesquera de Culebra, Villa Pesquera Barrio Playa Sardinas I, Culebra00775, Puerto Rico.
Hector Tavárez, Universidad de Puerto Rico Mayagüez, 259 Av. Alfonso Valdés Cobián, Mayagüez00680, Puerto Rico.
Lisa Poirier, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD21205, USA.
Joel Gittelsohn, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD21205, USA.
Michael W. Long, George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Avenue Washington, DC20052, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

9-15-2025

Journal

Public health nutrition

Volume

28

Issue

1

DOI

10.1017/S1368980025101080

Keywords

Climate adaptation; Food security; Group model building; Nutrition security; Systems science

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a shared understanding about the drivers of nutrition security in Puerto Rico (PR) from the collective perspective of multi-sector stakeholders in the agri-food, environmental and the health/disease systems. DESIGN: A participatory community-based system dynamics approach (group model building) engaged stakeholders during one 4-h workshop March 2023 (followed by two 2.5-h member checking sessions). SETTING: San Juan, PR. PARTICIPANTS: Stakeholders (n 22) in PR representing the agri-food, environmental and health/disease systems from multiple sectors (commercial food retail and technology, food production, public servants, academia and civil society) participated in the workshop. RESULTS: Stakeholders collectively framed nutrition security as an outcome of six interconnected subsystems exacerbated by climate change: (1) governance and public policy; (2) demographic change and rural disinvestment; (3) climate change and adaptive capacity; (4) local food production economy; (5) food culture; and (6) nutrition security and health. Stakeholders identified leverage points mostly focused on strengthening information flow within and across subsystems and expanding cross-sectoral collaboration (systems structures and elements). We identified three paradigms that have the potential to transform the system structure and function: ecological conscience, traditional and healthy food culture, and social cohesion. CONCLUSIONS: These findings deepened the collective understanding of systemic interdependencies that drive nutrition security as stakeholders identified locally feasible leverage points.

APA Citation

Colón-Ramos, Uriyoán; Guerra Uccelli, Natalia; Meléndez-Colón, Oscar; García Blanco, Ana María; Ostolaza Santiago, César; Rosas Pérez, Carla; Gomez Andújar, Nicolás; Tavárez, Hector; Poirier, Lisa; Gittelsohn, Joel; and Long, Michael W., "Structures and systems that promote nutrition security and climate adaptation in Puerto Rico: results from community-based system dynamics" (2025). GW Authored Works. Paper 7954.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/7954

Department

Global Health