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0.8g of nuts a day during pregnancy...play better with children of one's age

Ehime University researchers in Japan analyze data from 1199 pairs of mothers and children

Vitamins B6 and calcium in nuts have a positive impact

A study found that children born to mothers who consumed more than 0.8g of nuts per day interacted better with their peers.

According to the Journal of the Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Medicine on the 6th, researchers at Ehimi University in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, According to the June issue of the International Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, researchers from Ehime University School of Medicine in Japan, led by Yoshihiro Miyake, analyzed data from 1199 women who were pregnant between April 2007 and March 2008, as well as their children aged 59 to 71 months after birth.

The researchers measured children’s behavior and emotions using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which consists of five scales: emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior problems. Each item is rated on a scale of 0 to 10, which is then used to classify individuals into normal, borderline, or abnormal categories.

According to the survey results, out of 1199 mothers, 581 reported consuming no nuts at all. Among the mothers who consumed nuts, the average intake was 0.8g per day among 618 participants.

Additionally, approximately 12.9% of children aged 59 to 71 months experienced emotional problems, 19.4% had conduct problems, 13.1% exhibited hyperactivity/inattention issues, 8.6% encountered peer relationship problems, and 29.2% faced social behavior problems.

Based on the numerical analysis, it was evident that children born to mothers who consumed nuts during pregnancy exhibited significantly lower risk of ’peer relationship problems’. Peer relationship problems include indicators such as often playing alone, having one or more good friends, being bullied or harassed by other children, and getting along better with adults than with other children.

However, it was found that there is a low association between nut consumption and other behavioral issues in children.

Nuts are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, protein, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B6, calcium, among others. The researchers explained that monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B6, and calcium contribute to reducing the occurrence of emotional problems in children.

The researchers announced that their study is the first to demonstrate that maternal consumption of nuts during pregnancy reduces the risk of peer relationship problems in children under the age of 5.

Meanwhile, the findings of this study were published in the March issue of the International Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.

Source:News1