Elena Runfeldt is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in International Nutrition, working with Dr. John Hoddinott. She earned a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University in 2021. In 2023, she rejoined the Division of Nutritional Sciences after completing a Fulbright award in Barbados, where she designed, implemented, and evaluated a nutrition education program for the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s childhood obesity management initiative. Her current research centers on incorporating novel foods into school meals to improve childhood health outcomes. Her dissertation focuses on the delivery of a mid-morning insect-fortified cracker snack and examines its effects on intestinal health and iron status among undernourished Malagasy schoolchildren. Overall, Elena is passionate about strengthening school feeding systems on a large scale and addressing the double burden of malnutrition. She is particularly interested in returning to the Caribbean region to advance evidence-based solutions in settings where obesity rates are rising but nutrition data remain limited.

Chair: Dr. John Hoddinott Microbiology 
Minor Member: Dr. Elizabeth Johnson  
Epidemiology Minor Member: Dr. Martin Wells  
Ad Hoc Member: Dr. Megan Parker (PATH)  
My research focuses on a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in southeastern Madagascar that will assess the effects of a nutrient-dense cricket- and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL)-fortified cracker on children’s gut microbiome, inflammation, and iron status. Through 16S rRNA sequencing and biomarker analysis, my research investigates whether daily consumption of insect-derived protein, iron, zinc, and chitin (a novel fiber) can improve intestinal health and micronutrient deficiencies.  Prior to the RCT, I participated in an acceptability trial in Farafangana, Madagascar, in collaboration with PATH, the Madagascar Biodiversity Center and Catholic Relief Services. This study confirmed that the insect-fortified crackers were safe, well-liked, and widely accepted among children and caregivers.   Broadly, my research aims to generate evidence for sustainable, culturally appropriate, and climate-smart nutrition interventions that improve child health in low- and middle-income countries. Findings from this work will inform future efforts to integrate insect-based foods into school feeding programs and broader strategies to combat undernutrition, inflammation, and anemia.

2021, B.S., Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University