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Spanish scientists conducted a study on the neurological development of two-year-old infants whose mothers made lifestyle changes during pregnancy. Among the innovations published in JAMA Network Open, the influence of the Mediterranean diet and mindfulness practices was examined.
Risk Factors During Pregnancy
Unhealthy dietary habits, like increased fat intake and excess weight gain during pregnancy, may negatively impact the developing fetus. And elevated stress levels can alter fetal brain growth and worsen postnatal neurological development.
The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these relationships have yet to be fully elucidated. According to scientists, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which also regulates cortisol production, is involved in this process. Interventions that promote healthy eating and reduce stress may restore HPA axis function and enhance fetal neurodevelopment.
Study Details
Scientists from Barcelona assessed how stress reduction and dietary interventions during pregnancy influenced the neurological development of two-year-old children.
A total of 1221 participants took part in a randomized clinical trial conducted from February 2017 to March 2020. All pregnancies were singleton and occurred between 19 and 23 weeks of gestation, with an increased risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) newborn delivery. The women were randomly divided into three groups: Mediterranean diet group, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) group, and regular care group.
Participants in the Mediterranean diet group also received monthly individual and group mindfulness training sessions. Their diet included extra virgin-type olive oil and walnuts. Participants in the stress reduction group underwent an eight-week stress-lowering program adapted for pregnancy. The program included meditation, yoga, body awareness and group discussions.
Effectiveness of the Mediterranean Diet and Mindfulness Practices
The researchers analyzed the neurological development of 626 children at an average age of 25 months: 333 boys and 293 girls. Compared to children from the standard care group, children born to mothers in the dietary intervention group showed higher scores in cognitive, language, and socioemotional domains. Children whose mothers practiced mindfulness had higher scores in the socioemotional domain.
Children from the dietary intervention and mindfulness practice groups had much less SGA newborn delivery (14% and 16%, respectively, compared to 22% in the standard care group).
According to the scientists’ conclusions, lifestyle interventions based on the Mediterranean diet or mindfulness practices during pregnancy significantly improved the neurological development outcomes of children at the age of 2 years.
