孕期飲食不健康容易導致兒童多動症

2016年8月19日訊/生物谷BIOON/--一項新研究發現，孕期的高脂肪、高糖飲食可能與兒童多動症相關。

在英國，兒童早發的行為問題(如說謊、好鬥)和注意力不集中或多動障礙(ADHD)是兒童心理健康的主要原因。這兩種障礙往往會一前一後發生(超過40%的有行為障礙兒童也同時伴有注意缺陷多動障礙)，這與產前母親痛苦或營養不良等經歷相關。

這個新研究的參與者來自「90年代的孩子們」，研究顯示，與81名有較少行為問題的兒童相比，83名兒童有早發性的行為問題。研究人員評估母親的營養如何影響IGF2的表觀遺傳變化(或DNA甲基化)，該基因（IGF2）參與涉及注意力不集中的胎兒發育和大腦發育區域 -小腦和海馬。值得注意的是，在荷蘭二戰期間，IGF2的DNA甲基化被發現在孕婦體內，這些母親在此期間忍受著飢餓之災。

研究人員發現，孕期營養不良（包括高脂肪和高糖加工的食品和糖果）與早發行為問題兒童較高的IGF2甲基化相關。較高的IGF2甲基化與7到13歲的兒童注意力不集中症狀也相關，但只是顯示早期發病的兒童行為問題。

Edward Barker博士說：「我們發現，產前營養不良與高IGF2甲基化強調了懷孕期間健康飲食的重要性。」

這些結果表明，促進一個健康的孕期飲食可能會降低兒童注意力不集中和行為問題等症狀。這是令人欣慰的，因為營養和表觀遺傳危險因素等是可以改變的。」

Barker補充說：「我們現在需要檢測更多的特定類型的營養。例如，脂肪的類型，來自魚、核桃和雞中的ω3脂肪酸，它對神經發育非常重要。我們已經知道，兒童營養補充劑可能會導致較少的多動症和行為問題，這將為未來的研究提供重要的方向。」（生物谷Bioon.com）

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Unhealthy diet during pregnancy could be linked to ADHD

New research led by scientists from King's College London and the University of Bristol has found that a high-fat, high-sugar diet during pregnancy may be linked to symptoms of ADHD in children who show conduct problems early in life.  Published today in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, this study is the first to indicate that epigenetic changes evident at birth may explain the link between unhealthy diet, conduct problems and ADHD. Early onset conduct problems (e.g. lying, fighting) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are the leading causes of child mental health referral in the UK.

 These two disorders tend to occur in tandem (more than 40 per cent of children with a diagnosis of conduct disorder also have a diagnosis of ADHD) and can also be traced back to very similar prenatal experiences such as maternal distress or poor nutrition. In this new study of participants from the Bristol-based 'Children of the 90s' cohort, 83 children with early-onset conduct problems were compared with 81 children who had low levels of conduct problems. The researchers assessed how the mothers' nutrition affected epigenetic changes (or DNA methylation) of IGF2, a gene involved in fetal development and the brain development of areas implicated in ADHD - the cerebellum and hippocampus. Notably, DNA methylation of IGF2 had previously been found in children of mothers who were exposed to famine in the Netherlands during World War II.

 The researchers from King's and Bristol found that poor prenatal nutrition, comprising high fat and sugar diets of processed food and confectionary, was associated with higher IGF2 methylation in children with early onset conduct problems and those with low conduct problems. Higher IGF2 methylation was also associated with higher ADHD symptoms between the ages of 7 and 13, but only for children who showed an early onset of conduct problems. Dr Edward Barker from King's College London said: 'Our finding that poor prenatal nutrition was associated with higher IGF2 methylation highlights the critical importance of a healthy diet during pregnancy. 'These results suggest that promoting a healthy prenatal diet may ultimately lower ADHD symptoms and conduct problems in children.

This is encouraging given that nutritional and epigenetic risk factors can be altered.' Dr Barker added: 'We now need to examine more specific types of nutrition. For example, the types of fats such as omega 3 fatty acids, from fish, walnuts and chicken are extremely important for neural development. 'We already know that nutritional supplements for children can lead to lower ADHD and conduct problems, so it will be important for future research to examine the role of epigenetic changes in this process.'