Biography and expertise
Biography
Jessica is a clinical nutritionist and researcher who has worked extensively in the health and wellness industry for the past 10 years. She completed her bachelor of health science in Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine (honours) from Endeavour College of Natural Health where she developed a strong interest in research. She went on to complete her PhD at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Faculty of Health, researching in the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry. She recently conducted a clinical trial assessing the effects of a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression in young men, which highlighted the powerful effect that food can have on mental health.
Jessica is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, in the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, at Southern Cross University. She is continuing her work in nutritional psychiatry, and is developing a program of research that will centre around diet and mental health, aiming to support vulnerable populations with a 'food as medicine' approach.
Jessica is a member of SCU's Research Clusters:
- Harvest to Health
Jessica's work contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals
Research
Research interests include dietary interventions for mental health, nutraceuticals and dietary supplements, nutrition assessment and habits, the GIT microbiome and the gut/brain axis.
Supervision
Available for co-supervision of masters and PhD students.
Teaching
Unit assessor for Health Research Project A and B.
Links
Organisational affiliations
Highlights - Output
Journal article
Published 08/2022
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 116, 2, 572 - 580
Background
Depression is a common mental health condition which affects 1 in 8 males each year, especially young adults. Young adulthood offers an opportunity for early dietary interventions, with research suggesting that a Mediterranean diet (MD) could be beneficial in treating depression.
Objective
This study aimed to determine if a MD can improve depressive symptoms in young males with clinical depression.
Methods
A 12-week, parallel-group, open-label, randomized control trial was conducted to assess the effect of a MD intervention in the treatment of moderate to severe depression in young males (18-25 years). Befriending therapy was chosen for the control group. Assessments were taken at baseline, week 6 and week 12. MD adherence was measured with the Mediterranean Adherence Score (MEDAS). The primary outcome measure was the Beck Depression Inventory Scale (BDI-II) and secondary outcome was Quality of Life (QoL).
Results
A total of 72 participants completed the study. After 12 weeks, the MEDAS scores were significantly higher in the MD group compared to the befriending group (Mean diff: 7.8, 95% CI: 7.23, 8.37, p<0.001). The mean change in BDI-II score was significantly higher in the MD group compared to the befriending group at week 12 (Mean diff: 14.4, 95% CI: 11.41, 17.39, p<0.001). The mean change in QoL score was also significantly higher in the MD group compared to the befriending group at week 12 (Mean diff: 12.7, 95% CI: 7.92, 17.48), p<0.001).
Conclusion
Our results demonstrate that compared to befriending, a MD intervention leads to significant increases in MEDAS score, decreases in BDI-II score and increases in QoL scores. These results highlight the important role of nutrition for the treatment of depression and should inform advice given by clinicians to this specific demographic population.
Journal article
Published 05/2020
Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 11, 3, 602 - 615
Depression is a mood disorder which currently affects 350 million individuals worldwide. Recently, research has suggested a protective role of diet for depression. The Mediterranean-style dietary pattern has been highlighted in several systematic reviews as a promising candidate for reducing depressive symptoms. It has been speculated that this could be due to the high polyphenol content of foods commonly found in the diet. Therefore, the aim of this review was to assess the effects of polyphenols found in a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression. A systematic literature review was conducted of original research which assessed the role of polyphenols on the symptoms of depression in humans. The following databases were searched: PROQUEST, SCOPUS (Elsevier), MEDLINE (EBSCO), CINAHL, and EMBase, up to 18 February, 2019. The inclusion criteria consisted of both observational and experimental research in adults aged 18–80 y that assessed depression scores in relation to polyphenol intake. A total of 37 studies out of 12,084 met the full inclusion criteria. Of these, 17 were experimental studies and 20 were observational studies. Several different polyphenols were assessed including those from tea, coffee, citrus, nuts, soy, grapes, legumes, and spices. Twenty-nine of the studies found a statistically significant effect of polyphenols for depression. This review has found both an association between polyphenol consumption and depression risk, as well as evidence suggesting polyphenols can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms. The review uncovered gaps in the literature regarding the role of polyphenols for depressive symptoms in both young adults and men.