Camille Schneider Worthington, Ph.D., a scholar at the Forge AHEAD Center, is leading groundbreaking research on maternal nutrition. Her project, “Use of Home-Delivered Meals to Manage Cardiometabolic Health during Pregnancy among Predominantly Black, Low-Income Women in Alabama,” aims to improve pregnancy outcomes by providing healthy meals to Medicaid-eligible women.
Schneider Worthington emphasizes the critical role of nutrition during pregnancy, noting that poor dietary choices can lead to serious health risks for both mothers and babies. With alarming statistics showing that 70% of pregnant women exceed recommended intakes of added sugars and sodium, her research focuses on innovative solutions to ensure access to nutritious foods.
By delivering ten free healthy meals each week to participating mothers, Schneider Worthington hopes to demonstrate that improved nutrition can lead to better maternal and infant health outcomes. “Healthy meal delivery can support healthier pregnancies, which supports healthier babies and ultimately healthier communities,” she states.