Maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and child internalising and externalising problems. The Generation R Study.
BACKGROUND & AIMS
Maternal nutritional factors during pregnancy have been linked to foetal brain development and subsequent offspring behaviour. Less is known about associations between maternal dietary patterns and offspring behaviour.


METHODS
Within a population-based cohort, we assessed maternal diet using a food frequency questionnaire. Three dietary patterns were derived by means of Principal Component Analysis. Child internalising (emotionally reactive, anxious/depressed or withdrawn, having somatic complaints) and externalising problems (inattention, aggression) were assessed with the Child Behaviour Checklist at 1.5, 3 and 6 years in 3104 children. We assessed the association of maternal Mediterranean, Traditionally Dutch and Confectionary dietary pattern during pregnancy with child internalising and externalising problems.


RESULTS
After adjustment, the Mediterranean diet was negatively associated (ORper SD in Mediterranean score = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.83-0.97) and the Traditionally Dutch diet was positively associated with child externalising problems (ORper SD in Traditionally Dutch score = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03-1.21). Neither diet was associated with internalising problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Both low adherence to the Mediterranean diet and high adherence to the Traditionally Dutch diet during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of child externalising problems. Further research is needed to unravel the effects of nutrient interplay during and after pregnancy on child behavioural development.
['Steenweg-de Graaff|Jolien|J|', 'Tiemeier|Henning|H|', 'Steegers-Theunissen|Régine P M|RP|', 'Hofman|Albert|A|', 'Jaddoe|Vincent W V|VW|', 'Verhulst|Frank C|FC|', 'Roza|Sabine J|SJ|']
D002648:Child D002652:Child Behavior D002657:Child Development D002675:Child, Preschool D015331:Cohort Studies D038441:Diet, Mediterranean D005247:Feeding Behavior D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D016015:Logistic Models D008297:Male D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena D001523:Mental Disorders D015999:Multivariate Analysis D015596:Nutrition Assessment D010349:Patient Compliance D011247:Pregnancy D025341:Principal Component Analysis D012307:Risk Factors D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Dietary patterns Child Externalising problems food frequency questionnaire principal component analysis child behaviour checklist Internalising problems CBCL FFQ GEE PCA Prenatal generalised estimating equations