A study has uncovered remarkable benefits of a healthy diet during pregnancy. A nutritious prenatal diet not only supports the well-being of the expectant mother and her unborn child, but the researchers found that it could also significantly lower the risk of autism in children.
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. While the exact cause remains unknown, earlier studies revealed that a combination of factors, including diet, genetics, and environmental influences, play a role in the development of autism in children even before birth.
Researchers of the latest study who analyzed two extensive databases encompassing over 96,000 mother-infant pairs discovered an interesting link between prenatal diet and autism risk. They found that a "healthy" diet during pregnancy — rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish, and whole grains while avoiding high-fat foods, processed meats, soft drinks, and refined carbohydrates — can reduce the risk of autism by 22%. The results of the study were published in the journal Jama Network.
Children born to mothers who consistently followed a healthy diet during pregnancy also were found to have a 24% less chance of developing social and communication issues at ages 3 and 8 years, regardless of autism. Interestingly, the researchers observed that this protective effect was more pronounced in mother-daughter pairs compared to mother-son pairs.
The researchers concluded that "adherence to a healthy prenatal dietary pattern was associated with lower odds of autism diagnosis and social communication difficulties but not restrictive and repetitive behaviors."
However, researchers caution that the observed link may not be causal. At present, we remain uncertain whether the associations observed are causal. "Further research should substantiate our findings, especially given the inconsistency in the previous literature and across our measures of autism-associated traits," the researchers wrote.
The study did not delve into the specific mechanisms by which a prenatal diet influences autism risk. However, researchers speculate that the impact may be related to how certain foods affect DNA or the immune system. Another possibility is that a nutritious diet provides essential nutrients crucial for optimal fetal brain development, thus offering protective effects.
