Cuba

Yaguajay, Central Cuba:

Since 2016, I have been working with colleagues from Universidad de La Habana to study coastal communities’ adaptation to climate change, extreme events, and socioeconomic development in the Municipality of Yaguajay, Sancti Spiritus, Central Cuba. Since then, we have conducted repeated dietary surveys and anthropometric measurements across different samples of adults (farmers vs. fishers) to assess differences in their diets and nutritional health. We also used accelerometers and activity recalls to compile a list of subsistence activities and their energetic expenditure. In addition to dietary issues, we were also able to document concerns related to water scarcity, pre and post-hurricane Irma perceptions about the environment, and their responses to extreme events such as droughts, floods, and tropical storms.