A team of public health specialists from the University of Glasgow and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health has recently found a possible link between some cases of autism and prenatal diet. Â
The researchers analyzed information from two large databases of medical information on thousands of mothers and daughters in Norway and England. These databases were known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study. These studies involved children under the age of 8 and more than 95000 mother/daughter pairs. Â
When researchers observed the collected data, they found that women who ate a “healthy diet” had a 22% lower chance of delivering a child with autism as compared to those who ate a less-than-healthy diet. They also found that children who were born to mothers who regularly ate a healthy diet while pregnant were 24% less likely to develop social and/or communication problems irrespective of autism. This association was stronger in mother/daughter pairs than in mother/son pairs.Â
In this study, researchers defined a healthy diet as eating vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish, and whole grains regularly and excluding foods that are high in fat, processed meats, soft drinks, and refined carbohydrates.Â
The results of this study do not explain why women eating a healthier diet may reduce their risk of having an autistic child. But researchers explained that it might have something to do with how foods affect DNA or the immune process. The data was not able to show whether the impact of diet was causal in nature or due to other factors.Â
The results of this study clearly show that a healthy diet during pregnancy can effectively reduce the risk of autism in babies. Hence experts should make some healthy diet plans for pregnant women that can benefit babies. Healthcare professionals should also consider this study and suggest a healthy diet to pregnant women. This can reduce the risk of autism and many health complications.Â
