Oily fish intake during pregnancy: association with lower hyperactivity but not with higher full-scale IQ in offspring
Oily fish intake during pregnancy: association with lower hyperactivity but not with higher full-scale IQ in offspring
Background: Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are thought to be important for fetal neurodevelopment. Animal studies suggest that a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids may lead to behavioural or cognitive deficits. As oily fish is a major dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, it is possible that low intake of fish during pregnancy may have adverse effects on the developing fetal brain.
Methods: We used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence to assess behavioural problems and intelligence in 217 nine-year-old children. The mothers of these children had participated in a study of nutrition during pregnancy during which fish intake was assessed in early and late gestation.
Results: Children whose mothers had eaten oily fish in early pregnancy had a reduced risk of hyperactivity compared to those whose mothers did not eat oily fish: OR .34, 95% CI .15 to .78, after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Children whose mothers had eaten fish (whether oily or non-oily) in late pregnancy had a verbal IQ that was 7.55 points higher (95% CI .75 to 14.4) than those whose mothers did not eat fish. There were, however, no significant associations between fish intake in pregnancy and other behavioural problems or full-scale and performance intelligence, after adjustment for potential confounding factors.
Conclusions: Although maternal fish intake in pregnancy was associated with hyperactivity scores and verbal IQ in children, in general, how much fish women ate during pregnancy appeared to have little long-term relation with neurodevelopmental outcomes in their child.
intelligence, behaviour problems, diet, pregnancy, fish intake, hyperactivity, omega-3 fatty acids, nutrition, pre-natal
1061-1068
Gale, Catharine R.
5bb2abb3-7b53-42d6-8aa7-817e193140c8
Robinson, Sian M.
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Godfrey, Keith M.
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Law, Catherine M.
cf065efa-55c9-4f28-871e-e0df7a0727d9
Schlotz, Wolff
49499d5e-4ff4-4ad3-b5f7-eec11b25b5db
O'Callaghan, F.J.
f30a8143-283c-4c3f-bef7-f39a24bd31bd
October 2008
Gale, Catharine R.
5bb2abb3-7b53-42d6-8aa7-817e193140c8
Robinson, Sian M.
ba591c98-4380-456a-be8a-c452f992b69b
Godfrey, Keith M.
0931701e-fe2c-44b5-8f0d-ec5c7477a6fd
Law, Catherine M.
cf065efa-55c9-4f28-871e-e0df7a0727d9
Schlotz, Wolff
49499d5e-4ff4-4ad3-b5f7-eec11b25b5db
O'Callaghan, F.J.
f30a8143-283c-4c3f-bef7-f39a24bd31bd
Gale, Catharine R., Robinson, Sian M., Godfrey, Keith M., Law, Catherine M., Schlotz, Wolff and O'Callaghan, F.J.
(2008)
Oily fish intake during pregnancy: association with lower hyperactivity but not with higher full-scale IQ in offspring.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49 (10), .
(doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01908.x).
Abstract
Background: Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are thought to be important for fetal neurodevelopment. Animal studies suggest that a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids may lead to behavioural or cognitive deficits. As oily fish is a major dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, it is possible that low intake of fish during pregnancy may have adverse effects on the developing fetal brain.
Methods: We used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence to assess behavioural problems and intelligence in 217 nine-year-old children. The mothers of these children had participated in a study of nutrition during pregnancy during which fish intake was assessed in early and late gestation.
Results: Children whose mothers had eaten oily fish in early pregnancy had a reduced risk of hyperactivity compared to those whose mothers did not eat oily fish: OR .34, 95% CI .15 to .78, after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Children whose mothers had eaten fish (whether oily or non-oily) in late pregnancy had a verbal IQ that was 7.55 points higher (95% CI .75 to 14.4) than those whose mothers did not eat fish. There were, however, no significant associations between fish intake in pregnancy and other behavioural problems or full-scale and performance intelligence, after adjustment for potential confounding factors.
Conclusions: Although maternal fish intake in pregnancy was associated with hyperactivity scores and verbal IQ in children, in general, how much fish women ate during pregnancy appeared to have little long-term relation with neurodevelopmental outcomes in their child.
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Published date: October 2008
Keywords:
intelligence, behaviour problems, diet, pregnancy, fish intake, hyperactivity, omega-3 fatty acids, nutrition, pre-natal
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Local EPrints ID: 52582
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/52582
ISSN: 0021-9630
PURE UUID: 29215e0d-b3a7-40bf-a155-61d84d3009cc
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Date deposited: 10 Jul 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:49
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Contributors
Author:
Sian M. Robinson
Author:
Catherine M. Law
Author:
Wolff Schlotz
Author:
F.J. O'Callaghan
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