Campbell fuses maternal wellness, infant health outcomes in “Blossom Project” - College of Human Sciences

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July 14, 2009

Campbell fuses maternal wellness, infant health outcomes in “Blossom Project”

"This research is a wonderful representation of what’s important in life,” researcher says

Christina Campbell, associate professor in food science and human nutrition, explains how to use an activity-monitoring armband to an expectant mother. Campbell is leading the Blossom Project, a study designed to better understanding the relationship between a mother’s activity and nutrition and positive birth outcomes.

By Laura Dillavou

What started as a nickname for Christina Campbell’s incipient child is now the fitting title of a research study that holds the potential to impact millions of expectant mothers and their babies.

Campbell, an associate professor in food science and human nutrition, joined the college’s faculty in Jan. 2009 after serving on the faculty at Montana State University – Bozeman. In addition to research experience in clinical nutrition, diabetes, and diet and exercise, Campbell brought with her the “Blossom Project” – an observational study that assesses the omega-3 fatty acid intake and physical activity habits in pregnant women.

“During my first pregnancy, we called the fetus ‘Blossom,’” Campbell said. “I was very interested in staying active and eating right during those nine months, and after I had my son, I decided that was an area with little research and something I wanted to study further. Living in a health-conscious community such as Bozeman [meant that] finding women who were also interested in staying active and healthy during pregnancy wasn’t difficult.”

The Bozeman Blossom Project recruited 39 expectant mothers prior to their 18^th week of pregnancy. At week 18 and 35 of a woman’s pregnancy, Campbell and her team of undergraduate and graduate students measured participants’ exercise frequency and intensity levels, assessed diet, and obtained a blood sample. At delivery, blood from the baby’s umbilical cord is collected to test for key nutrients. Overall, Campbell said the project is a step toward understanding how diet and exercise can influence a positive birth outcome.

“We seek to better understand how prenatal exercise, in combination with a diet containing omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish, can influence the nutrients a baby receives,” Campbell said. “Pregnancy represents the first step in the prevention of chronic disease for the fetus but also an opportunity to influence the mother’s future health. The impact of food and activity choices during pregnancy may be far greater than we currently understand and/or recognize”.

As Campbell begins the Ames Blossom Project, she said the implications of this research extend far beyond academia.

“The general population, specifically expectant mothers, can really benefit from this kind of research,” Campbell said. “The bottom line is that we need to figure out what we can do for each woman that will result in a positive pregnancy. This is a study where women see a benefit to their participation and the true intention of our research efforts.”

The Blossom Project is funded by the Iowa State University Nutrition and Wellness Research Center, in part through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.

If you or someone you know is between 12 and 35 weeks pregnant and would like to participant in this study, e-mail Campbell at blossomproject@iastate.edu.

“When I think of how this research improves people’s lives, I picture happy, healthy babies and their mothers who’ve had a successful, positive pregnancy. It’s a wonderful representation of what’s important in life.”