Dr EA Symington

Expertise

• Early childhood development
• Maternal and Infant nutrition
• Micronutrients, specifically iron

Qualifications

• B.Sc (Dietetics)
• M (Diet)
• PhD (Nutrition)

Fields of academic interests

Teaching interests

• Alternative methods of assessment
• Effective feedback in the learning process

Research interests

• Nutrition during pregnancy and early development
• Essential fatty acids
• Micronutrients

Journal articles

• Osuna, E., Symington, E.A., Malan, L., Ricci, C., Zandberg, L., Smuts, C.M. and Baumgartner, J., 2023. Higher n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status during early pregnancy is associated with lower risk for depression at 12 months postpartum: The NuPED study. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, p.102528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2022.102528

• Siro, SS, Baumgartner, J, Schoonen, M, Ngounda, J, Malan, L, Symington, EA, Smuts, CM and Zandberg, L. 2021. Submitted. Characterization of genetic variants in the SLC5A5 gene and associations with breast milk iodine concentration in lactating women of African descent: The NUPED Study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8:692504. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.692504  

• Siro, SS, Zandberg, L, Osei-Ngounda, J, Wise, A, Symington, EA, Malan, L, Smuts, CM and Baumgartner, J. 2021.  Iodine status of pregnant women living in urban Johannesburg, South Africa. Maternal & Child Nutrition, e13263. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13236 

• Conradie, C, Baumgartner, J, Malan, L, Symington, EA, Cockeran, M, Smuts, CM and Faber, M. 2021. A priori and a posteriori dietary patterns among pregnant women in Johannesburg, South Africa: the NuPED study. Nutrients,13(2):565. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020565

• Symington, EA, Baumgartner, J, Malan, L, Wise, AJ, Zandberg, L, Ricci, C, Smuts, CM. 2019. Maternal iron-deficiency is associated with premature birth and higher birth weight despite routine antenatal iron supplementation in an urban South African setting: NuPED prospective study. PLoS ONE, 14(9): e022129. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.022129
• Symington, EA, Baumgartner, J, Malan, L, Zandberg, L, Ricci, C, Smuts, CM. 2018. Nutrition during pregnancy and early development (NuPED) in urban South Africa: a study protocol for a prospective cohort. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 18:308. (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-1943-6)
• Kempen, E; Kasambala, J; Christie, L; Symington, E; Jooste, L; & Van Eeden, T. (2017). Expectancy-value theory contributes to understanding consumer attitudes towards cow’s milk alternatives and variants. International Journal of Consumer Studies, vol.41, no.3, pp.245-252. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijcs.12331/full)
• Symington, EA; Gericke, GJ; Nel, HJ & Labadarios D. (2016) The relationship between stunting and overweight among children from South Africa: secondary analysis of the National Food Consumption Survey – Fortification Baseline I. South African Medical Journal, 106(1):65-69. (http://dx.doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2016.v106i1.9839)
• Schutte, AE; Symington, EA & du Preez, JL. (2013). Rosuvastatin is transferred into human breast milk: A case report. The American Journal of Medicine, 126(9):e7-e8. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.02.032)
• Olivier, J; Symington, EA; Jonker, CZ; Rampedi, IT & Van Eeden, TS. (2012). Comparison of the mineral composition of leaves and infusions of traditional and herbal teas. The South African Journal of Science, 108(1/2), Art. #623, 7 pages. (http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajs.v108i1/2.623)
• Kempen, EL; Muller, H; Symington, EA & Van Eeden, TS. (2012). A study of the relationship between health awareness, lifestyle behaviour and food label usage in Gauteng. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 25(1): 15-21.