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Tag: Offsprings

  • History Of Eating Disorders, Pre-Pregnancy Obesity Raises Offspring’s Risk Of Mental Health Diagnosis

    History Of Eating Disorders, Pre-Pregnancy Obesity Raises Offspring’s Risk Of Mental Health Diagnosis

    Children whose mothers have a history of eating disorders and obesity before pregnancy are at a greater risk of mental health diagnosis, a recent study revealed.

    The results of the latest study involving a Finnish population of nearly 400,000 mothers and around 650,000 offspring revealed significant links between maternal health and the mental well-being of their children.

    The research suggests associations between a mother’s history of eating disorders and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) higher than the normal weight range to most of the nine psychiatric diagnoses examined in the offspring.

    The psychiatric diagnoses involved in the study include mood and anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, intellectual disabilities, specific developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, conduct disorders, social functioning and tic disorders (like selective mutism and Tourette syndrome), as well as feeding disorders in infancy and childhood.

    The results showed that around 53% had pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity, nearly 6% had underweight, and 1.6% had a history of an eating disorder.

    When comparing differences in the impact of maternal eating disorders and higher BMI on children’s mental health diagnoses, the study found generally stronger associations with maternal eating disorders than those linked to maternal BMI.

    “The largest effect sizes were observed for maternal eating disorders not otherwise specified in association with offspring sleep disorders and social functioning and tic disorders, while for maternal severe pre-pregnancy obesity, offspring intellectual disabilities had the largest effect size,” the researchers wrote in the study published in Jama Network.

    Eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) refer to a category of eating disorders that do not fit the specific criteria for more commonly recognized disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Some examples of EDNOS include behaviors such as pica, which involves cravings for and consumption of non-food items, or night eating syndrome, characterized by binge eating during the evening hours.

    “The study confirms previously published associations between maternal eating disorders and BMI and offspring psychiatric disorder, but also reports new associations,” Ida Nilsson, a study author told MedPage Today.

    “The findings underline the importance of considering maternal eating disorders and BMI in maternity care, aiming to reduce the number of offspring with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. The findings also strengthen the importance of the nutrition of pregnant women,” Nilsson said.

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  • Eating Fish During Pregnancy May Cut Offspring’s Autism Risk, Not Omega-3: Study Says

    Eating Fish During Pregnancy May Cut Offspring’s Autism Risk, Not Omega-3: Study Says

    Prenatal consumption of fish may reduce autism risk in children, but omega-3 supplements may not have the same effect, a recent study revealed.

    Including fish in the diet during pregnancy is linked to a 20% reduction in the risk of autism spectrum disorder and a decreased risk of autism-related traits in children, with particularly notable benefits for female offspring, according to the study published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.

    “Our study contributes to a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the role that prenatal diet can play in autism-related outcomes in offspring,” said the researcher Dr. Emily Oken in a news release.

    To understand how intake of fish and omega-3 supplements during pregnancy affects neurodevelopmental outcomes, researchers evaluated the dietary information of around 4,000 participants. Based on the frequency of fish consumption, the participants were grouped into four: less than once a month, more than once a month but less than weekly, weekly, and two or more servings per week.

    Around 25% of them never ate fish or consumed it less than once a month, and most of the participants never took omega-3 fish oil supplements during their pregnancy.

    The researchers then examined the incidence of autism diagnoses in children and parent-reported autism-related traits, which were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), a widely used survey completed by parents or caregivers.

    “Consuming fish during pregnancy was associated with a lower likelihood of offspring being diagnosed with autism and a slight decrease in total SRS scores compared to not eating fish. These results were consistent across all levels of fish consumption, from “any” amount or “less than once per week” to “more than twice per week,” the news release stated.

    However, the researchers could not find any significant association between omega-3 conception and autism diagnosis, or traits.

    “This study provides yet more evidence for the safety and benefit of regular fish consumption during pregnancy. Other proven benefits include lower risk for preterm birth and improved cognitive development,” said Dr. Oken.

    “Given the low fish intake in the United States general population and the rising autism prevalence, these findings suggest the need for better public health messaging regarding guidelines on fish intake for pregnant individuals,” the researchers concluded.

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