Climate Change Effects on Pregnancy via a Traditional Food

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PROJECT SUMMARY Impacts of climate change on traditional food systems is of great concern for Indigenous health and currently has unknown consequences for pregnancy. Maternal diet and nutrition are highly influential in pregnancy outcome and can affect the short- and long-term health of both mothers and offspring. Yet, while changing climate regimes have documented influences on food availability and quality, there is substantial underappreciation for the environments from which foods consumed during pregnancy are sourced. Certain adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) have been linked to maternal diet and nutrition, and Indigenous and First Nations groups have overall higher rates of APOs. Though maternal diet and nutrition have been identified as a potential target for improving health disparities, there is a paucity of literature concerning nutrition during pregnancy in Indigenous First Nations mothers. The research proposed will help fill this critical knowledge gap by identifying how climate-driven changes in the environment can influence the nutritional quality of a traditional food source, and how this may determine Indigenous maternal health outcomes. We approach investigating this in two Specific Aims using wild Pacific salmon consumption in pregnant First Nations peoples situated within the Pacific Northwest, USA because Pacific salmon are highly sensitive to environmental factors, and many Indigenous First Nations peoples within this region have been consuming Pacific salmon as a vital traditional food from time immemorial. In Specific Aim 1, we will establish effects of climate change on Pacific salmon nutritional content by: 1) investigating historical changes in nutritional metrics of museum specimen in relation to historical temperatures; and 2) experimental validation of nutritional changes through exposure of Pacific salmon to elevated temperatures. In Specific Aim 2, we will determine if Pacific salmon nutritional content contributes to pregnancy outcome by surveying Pacific salmon consumption in pregnant First Nations individuals, and using super learners (machine learning technology) to: 1) develop a model describing the relationship between Pacific salmon-specific nutritional contributions to maternal diet and pregnancy outcome; and 2) apply the model developed to manipulated data to test if changes in Pacific salmon-specific nutritional contributions to diet can influence pregnancy outcome. The research will be carried out with community health centers at Washington State University, and in close collaboration with regional Tribes and Nations. I will have access to state-of-the-art core facilities and laboratory spaces for this work and will be guided by experts in the skills and techniques that I will gain training in. To enrich my research training, I will be attending various workshops, seminar series, and scientific meetings to expand my professional network and prepare me as I transition to an independent scientist. Together, the research and training program developed will enhance the innovative potential of my future research and support my long-term goal of promoting climate resilience and addressing health disparities in vulnerable and underserved populations.