Summary: Moms who eat junk food and other unhealthy foods while pregnant are more likely to have children with depression, anxiety, and behavior problems. While caving to an occasional craving of ice cream or salt-and-vinegar chips is unlikely to cause harm, the study emphasizes the importance of consuming a well-balanced diet throughout your pregnancy.
By Joanne Van Zuidam | Posted: August 21, 2013
Research has already shown that eating an unhealthy diet during pregnancy can affect a child's physical health, increasing his or her risk for heart disease and diabetes. Now, a new study shows a link between unhealthy pregnancy diets and mental health disorders in children.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is the first one to find a link between prenatal nutrition and mental health.
In the large study, researchers from Deakin University in Australia and from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health assessed the diets of more than 23,000 mothers during pregnancy and their children at 18 months and three years.
The women in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study were recruited between 1999 and 2008. The data was collected from self-reported questionnaires expectant moms filled out during pregnancy, and when children were 6 months, 18 months, 3 years, and 5 years of age.
The moms were also asked about their child's behavior and symptoms of anxiety, depression, conduct disorders, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
After reviewing the data, the women were categorized into two pregnancy dietary patterns—“healthy” and “unhealthy”. A “healthy” pattern was characterized by high intake of vegetables, fruit, and high-fiber cereals; while an “unhealthy” pattern was characterized by a high intake of processed meats, refined grains, as well as junk food including sweet drinks and salty snacks.
The researchers found the moms who reported higher intakes of unhealthy foods were more likely to have children with behavioral problems, such as tantrums, aggression, anxiety, and depression.
Furthermore, moms who reported their toddlers consumed higher intakes of unhealthy foods in the first five years of their life, or who didn't eat enough nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, exhibited depression and anxiety on top of the behavior problems.
While it is not yet known how unhealthy foods impact the brain, depression and anxiety that develop during childhood could require lifetime treatment, say the researchers.
“For about three-quarters of children affected, it will go on to become a recurrent disorder over their life, so we’re very interested in prevention,” said Felice Jacka, lead author and associate professor at Deakin, in The Herald Sun.
The payoff: Eating “healthy” foods in pregnancy (and promoting those foods to your children) will result in both a healthier mom and healthier baby — mentally and physically.
Photo Credit: stock.xchng
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