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A western dietary pattern during pregnancy is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and

David Horner1, Jens Richardt M Jepsen2,3, Bo Chawes4

  • 1COPSAC, Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. david.horner@dbac.dk.

Nature Metabolism
|March 3, 2025
PubMed

Insights

A western diet during pregnancy is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in children, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Early pregnancy interventions targeting maternal diet may help prevent these conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders are prevalent, yet maternal diet's impact during pregnancy is understudied.
  • Understanding prenatal influences is crucial for child neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring.
  • To identify potential mediating metabolites and optimal timing for dietary interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of self-reported maternal dietary patterns at 24 weeks gestation in the COPSAC2010 cohort.
  • Clinical evaluation of neurodevelopmental disorders at 10 years of age.
  • Validation in independent cohorts using dietary modeling, maternal, and fetal blood metabolomics.

Main Results:

  • A western dietary pattern during pregnancy was significantly associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism diagnoses.
  • Metabolomic analyses identified 15 mediating metabolites, improving ADHD prediction.
  • Associations remained significant in early-to-mid-pregnancy across longitudinal analyses.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal western diet during pregnancy is a risk factor for child neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly ADHD.
  • Prenatal dietary interventions, especially in early pregnancy, show potential for preventing neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • Metabolomic insights can refine risk prediction and inform targeted interventions.

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