APPLIED NUTRITION

• Staff
  • Laboratory Head
  • Research Staff
  • Students
• Goals
• Research Themes
• Research Projects
  1. Nutrition for preterm infants
  2. Nutrition during pregnancy

STAFF

Laboratory Head

Research Staff

Jacqueline Aldis

jacqueline.aldis@health.sa.gov.au

Carmel Collins

carmel.collins@health.sa.gov.au

Josephine Collins

jo.collins2@health.sa.gov.au

Heather Garreffa

heather.garreffa@health.sa.gov.au

Helen Loudis

helen.loudis@health.sa.gov.au

debbie.palmer@health.sa.gov.au

Students

GOALS

The overall aim of our research group is to optimise the nutritional intake of mothers and their infants whether the infants are born preterm or at term. The rationale for our research is that improvements in nutritional status will optimise the growth and development of all infants and this will have beneficial effects on their quality of life and whole-of-life health care costs.

RESEARCH THEMES

Our research utilises two powerful tools - randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews. Clinical trials involving dietary long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) and interventions with dietary iron in the perinatal period have been a feature of our research over the past 5 years. Translation of research results to changes in clinical nutrition policy and practice is a major focus of our group. For this reason we also conduct high quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses of nutritional interventions in pregnancy, lactation and the first years of life, and contribute to the development of clinical practice guidelines.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Nutrition for preterm infants

Despite having good survival outcomes, preterm infants born before 33 weeks gestation have poorer cognitive outcomes compared with their term-born counterparts. The adequate supply of an omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, called DHA, during the neonatal period may be important to preventing the developmental delays suffered by preterm children. In the largest nutrition intervention trial involving preterm infants, we have shown that developmental delay at 18 months corrected age can be reduced by 30-50% as a result of feeding high dose DHA in the neonatal period. Interestingly these outcomes were most evident in girls and babies born weighing less than 1250g. A 7 year follow-up funded by NHMRC (5-year project grant) will be important to determine whether these effects continue to school age.

7 year Developmental Assesment. Project supported by NHMRC.

2. Nutrition during pregnancy

Many epidemiological studies demonstrate associations between high fish and seafood intake during pregnancy and improved health for both mothers and children, namely a lower prevalence of postnatal depression and higher developmental scores and fewer allergies in children. It is hypothesised that n-3 LCPUFA are the "magic" ingredients in fish that drive these associations. We have set out to test this hypothesis through a large scale intervention study in which women are randomly allocated a supplement of tuna oil rich in n-3 LCPUFA or a placebo from 20 weeks of pregnancy until birth. 2399 women around Australia are participating in the study. This year will see the first results that will answer the question of whether there are cause and effect relationships between n-3 LCPUFA during pregnancy and mental health outcomes for women and their children and between n-3 LCPUFA and allergy prevalence.

A 12 month old child having an allergy assessment. Project supported by NHMRC

An 18 months old child having a developmental assessment. Project supported by NHMRC