- A recent study found that low fiber during pregnancy could raise the risk of neurodevelopmental delays in children.
- Fiber is a critical component of a healthy, balanced diet, especially during pregnancy.
- Pregnant people can increase their fiber intake as needed with appropriate guidance from nutritional experts.
Pregnancy is a complex time that can influence myriad health outcomes.
Researchers are still seeking to understand what actions and environmental factors during pregnancy affect offspring later in life.
Diet during pregnancy can influence the health and development of the baby, but experts are still working to understand the outcomes of certain dietary specifics.
A recent study in Frontiers in Nutrition looked at fiber intake during pregnancy.
Results of the study found that lower fiber intake during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk for neurodevelopmental delays in offspring.
For the study, researchers noted that previous animal studies had shown a link between low fiber intake in pregnancy and delayed brain development in offspring.
Using information from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, the researchers examined data from 76,207 mother-infant pairs.
They looked at fiber intake during pregnancy, dividing participants into one of five groups based on their level of fiber intake during pregnancy.
They then assessed developmental delays in children at age three. They did this by having parents or caregivers fill out questionnaires that assessed children’s communication, fine and gross motor skills, problem-solving, and personal-social skills. A lower score indicated higher levels of developmental delay.
The researchers found that those with the lowest fiber intake had the highest associated risk of having children with neurodevelopmental delays, compared to the group of mothers with the highest intake of total dietary fiber.
They identified four key areas associated with delayed infant brain growth due to low fiber…
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