Children whose mothers have a history of eating disorders and obesity before pregnancy are at a greater risk of mental health diagnosis, a recent study revealed.
The results of the latest study involving a Finnish population of nearly 400,000 mothers and around 650,000 offspring revealed significant links between maternal health and the mental well-being of their children.
The research suggests associations between a mother’s history of eating disorders and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) higher than the normal weight range to most of the nine psychiatric diagnoses examined in the offspring.
The psychiatric diagnoses involved in the study include mood and anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, intellectual disabilities, specific developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, conduct disorders, social functioning and tic disorders (like selective mutism and Tourette syndrome), as well as feeding disorders in infancy and childhood.
The results showed that around 53% had pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity, nearly 6% had underweight, and 1.6% had a history of an eating disorder.
When comparing differences in the impact of maternal eating disorders and higher BMI on children’s mental health diagnoses, the study found generally stronger associations with maternal eating disorders than those linked to maternal BMI.
“The largest effect sizes were observed for maternal eating disorders not otherwise specified in association with offspring sleep disorders and social functioning and tic disorders, while for maternal severe pre-pregnancy obesity, offspring intellectual disabilities had the largest effect size,” the researchers wrote in the study published in Jama Network.
Eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) refer to a category of eating disorders that do not fit the specific criteria for more commonly recognized disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Some examples of EDNOS include behaviors such as pica, which involves cravings for and consumption of non-food items, or night eating syndrome, characterized by binge eating during the evening hours.
“The study confirms previously published associations between maternal eating disorders and BMI and offspring psychiatric disorder, but also reports new associations,” Ida Nilsson, a study author told MedPage Today.
“The findings underline the importance of considering maternal eating disorders and BMI in maternity care, aiming to reduce the number of offspring with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. The findings also strengthen the importance of the nutrition of pregnant women,” Nilsson said.
