Tag: Elinor Sullivan

Assessing the Nutritional and Physical Needs of Students Outlined in Oregon Wellness Policies

Presenter(s): Christine Pons

Faculty Mentor(s): Elizabeth Budd & Elinor Sullivan

Poster 151

Session: Social Sciences & Humanities

The prevalence of childhood obesity continues to increase in the United States. To prevent this rate from increasing, schools have been identified as an effective setting to address obesity. Specifically, school-based interventions that focus on changing dietary intake and physical activity levels lead to decreased prevalence of obesity in students. In addition to obesity, physical activity and nutrition have direct impacts on one’s risk for chronic diseases and many types of cancer. Thus, the aims of the project include identifying gaps in Oregon school district wellness policies, as well as determining social and environmental factors (i.e.., racial/ethnic makeup of the school, % receiving free/reduced-price lunch at the school, rurality of school setting, walkability of area surrounding school) associated with the strength and comprehensiveness of district school wellness policies across the state. The research question is answered through the location and evaluation of each school district’s wellness policy. These policies are evaluated based on the Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT: 2.0), which assesses how each policy addresses 78 policy items. Based on the assessment, areas of improvement are identified and suggested to the specific school district. The overall assessment shows the strength of each wellness policy in addressing the nutritional and physical needs of Oregon students. Combined with the demographics of each district, these results indicate how a community influences the services provided for student’s nutritional and physical health and attempts to prevent obesity.

The Influence of Fatty Acids on Maternal Behavior: Kearns NC, Heierle JA, Gustafsson HC, Nousen EK, Nigg JT, Sullivan EL

Presenter(s): Jessica Heierle

Co Presenter(s): Nora Kearns

Faculty Mentor(s): Elinor Sullivan & Hanna Gustaffsson

Poster 38

Session: Sciences

Several human studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acid intake is associated with positive mental health outcomes in young mothers, though their influence on maternal behavior remains unexplored. Recent rodent research on omega-3 adequate and deficient mice showed that omega-3 adequate mothers displayed more nurturing behaviors. Omega-3s are known to have anti-inflammatory properties which is a potential mechanism for their effect on mental health. Limited evidence exists on the influence of anti-inflammatory FAs and maternal behavior. This study tested the hypothesis that plasma omega-3 FAs and a high omega-3:6 ratio would positively influence maternal behavior. Ten minute free-play interactions from 62 mother-infant pairs were videotaped and maternal behavior was coded using a well-validated scheme. Maternal FA levels were measured in plasma collected during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Spearman’s correlations were calculated using SPSS. We found significant positive correlations between omega-3 FAs and maternal sensitivity/responsiveness (r=0.533, p=0.004) and the composite sensitive parenting score (r=0.366, p=0.047). We also found a significant positive correlation between the omega-3:6 ratio and sensitivity/responsiveness (r=0.451, p=0.031), and a negative correlation between total PUFA levels and intrusiveness (r=-0.454, p=0.020). These results indicate that omega-3 consumption and a high omega-3:6 ratio may contribute to improved maternal mood and behavior. If supported by additional studies, these findings suggest that a diet high in omega-3s could benefit maternal mental health and, through improvements in maternal behavior, the infant offspring.

The influence of prenatal inflammation on postnatal maternal and infant behavior

Presenter(s): Nora Kearns—Biology

Faculty Mentor(s): Elinor Sullivan

Session 2: Cells R Us

A growing body of research suggests that prenatal nutrition and adiposity influence postnatal mental health outcomes for both mother and child . Inflammation, heavily influenced by maternal adiposity, has been identified as a potential biomarker for maternal depression and child behavioral dysfunction . The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that maternal gestational inflammatory state predicts postnatal maternal and infant behavior, an effect moderated by pro- inflammatory cytokines and both pro and anti-inflammatory fatty acids . Maternal BMI was obtained from medical records, and maternal inflammatory state was assessed using plasma fatty acid and cytokine levels from 2nd and 3rd trimester blood draws . Maternal and infant behavior at 6 months postpartum was observed in a ten-minute videotaped free play interaction, which was evaluated using a well-validated coding scheme . Maternal BMI was positively correlated with a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and negatively correlated with anti-inflammatory omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids . Although no significant correlations were found between pro-inflammatory cytokines and negative maternal behaviors, Interleuken-10, an inflammation-regulating cytokine, was negatively associated with maternal sensitivity and positively associated with infant negative mood . Significant positive correlations were found between n-3 fatty acids and positive maternal behaviors such as sensitivity, positive regard for child, and animation . The beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids did not translate to modifications in child behavior during free-play, although one inflammatory n-6 fatty acid was negatively correlated with child activity, as was the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-a, which was elevated in mothers with higher BMIs and mothers with ADHD . These results suggest that n-3 fatty acid consumption during pregnancy may attenuate the potential effects of inflammation and contribute to more optimal maternal mental health .