Nourishing the world
Agriculture is key to better health, a sustainable environment and a robust economy
The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, is the world’s first research institute to combine precision nutrition, responsive agriculture and behavioral research to reduce diet-related chronic disease in a way that considers environmental and economic effects.
IHA and affiliated scientists work at the forefront of nutrition, agriculture and social and behavioral science innovation. Using the alignment and interface of these key areas sparks leading solutions to combat complex public health challenges.
The IHA’s work makes food systems more sustainable. It makes food producers more prosperous. It gives communities new hope for a healthier future.
Uniting scholars across three fields
Precision Nutrition
Diet affects different people in different ways. We seek to understand its various impacts. Our findings inform nutrition guidance that addresses specific needs of subgroups of the population.
Put into practice, that guidance lowers risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
Healthy Living
Working in close partnership with community residents and a variety of community-based and clinical partner organizations, we develop ways to effectively address health disparities through real-world research studies. These partnerships allow us to appropriately tailor programs to fit unique cultures and environments.
Everyone benefits from the results: better health, less chronic disease and greater health equity.
Responsive Agriculture
IHA seeks ways to reshape food production systems to optimize human health. Food producers who adopt our innovations enjoy higher profits. They also use more environmentally sustainable practices.
Our research transforms agricultural production to promote well-being for all.
Read the IHA’s 2024 Impact Report.
Project Spotlight
Research transforms lives worldwide
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Strong Teens for Healthy Schools Change Club
A middle school-based, 16-week program aiming to instill healthy habits in teens.
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Discovering the antioxidant properties and benefits of grains (sorghum) and other novel uses to enhance human health
A pilot for scaling interdisciplinary research to connect agriculture and health.
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Diet exposure assessment project
Measuring factors that connect diet and health, and helping people shift their dietary habits
News
Read these stories and more on AgriLife Today.
Let’s defeat diet-related chronic disease
Obesity. Diabetes. Hypertension. These and other diet-related chronic diseases have become a nationwide epidemic. Conquering them will demand innovation across disciplines.
The IHA is leading the fight. Working together, our researchers transform agricultural practices to yield healthful foods, produced profitably and sustainably. They work to change harmful dietary habits. They tackle healthcare inequity head-on.
Help us win the battle against diet-related chronic disease.