14 DAY TRIAL // Several previous studies have shown that children who eat a tad too much junk food are likely to be depressed, anxious and even aggressive.
However, a recent paper argues that what a mother eats during pregnancy also influences a child's behavior and mental health both during their early years and later in life.
Daily Mail says that, in order to investigate how a pregnant woman's diet impacts on the mental health of her unborn child, researchers in Norway and Australia monitored roughly 23,000 mothers and their offspring for five years.
During this time, the specialists collected information concerning what the women ate while expecting, and what the children were allowed to eat during their first years of life.
What's more, they kept an eye open for symptoms linked to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, conduct disorder and ADHD, the same source informs us.
Eventually, it was concluded that the aforementioned problems were more common among children born to mothers who hadn't kept a close eye on their diet while pregnant and who had admitted to eating unhealthy foods.
Commenting on the findings of this investigation, study lead author Professor Felice Jacka stated as follows:
“Early life nutrition, including the nutrition received while the child is in utero, is related to physical health outcomes in children – their risk for later heart disease or diabetes for example.”
“But this is the first study indicating diet is also important to mental health outcomes in children. It is now more clear than ever that diet matters to mental health right across the age spectrum,” she went on to argue.
In light of these findings, Professor Felice Jacks and her colleagues recommend that pregnant women be more careful about what they eat, and try to stay clear of unhealthy treats.
They also urge that governments try to encourage healthy eating habits among mothers-to-be.
“There is an urgent need for governments everywhere to take note of the evidence and amend food policy. They must restrict the marketing and availability of unhealthy food products to the community,” Professor Felice Jacks believes.