Pregnancy Diet may influence Child’s Allergy Risk
According to a new study, the dietary intake of a woman during her pregnancy could probably influence the odds that her child will develop allergies.
Dr. Joachim Heinrich, of GSF-Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany, and colleagues studied the relations between maternal diet during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy and allergies and eczema in offspring at age 2 years.
They analyzed data from 2,641 children. Overall, 17.7 percent of all children had doctor-diagnosed eczema at age 2. A total of 9.3 percent were sensitized to food allergens, most commonly milk and eggs, and 4.8 percent were sensitized to inhaled allergens.
After adjusting for potentially confounding factors, positive associations were observed between high maternal intakes of margarine and vegetable oils during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy and eczema during the first 2 years in the offspring.
On the other hand, eating a lot of fish late in pregnancy seemed to offer some protection against eczema in offspring.
Furthermore, the study found that children born to women who consumed a lot of celery and citrus fruit were at a greater risk for sensitization to food allergens. Sensitization to inhaled allergens was also associated with high maternal intakes of deep-frying vegetable fat, raw sweet pepper and citrus fruit.
Inspite of these clear cut relations, the researchers say “before any recommendations can be made, randomized clinical intervention trials should be performed to confirm the cause-effect relation observed in the present study.”
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Hi, I just wanted to share with you all that I have two small children with severe allergies and I am positive now that it is from what I was eating while i was pregnant and while i breastfed. I have also had alot of health professionals agree with that. I want to tell anyone who is pregnant and reading this. DO NOT EAT PEANUTS WHILE YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING..please listen to me. Two of kids ahve Epi Pins..they could die because of their allergies. I ate lots of peanut butter and peanuts while i was pregnant and breastfeeding, thinking i was doing good for the baby. I was wrong. I even asked my doctor about the link with the peanuts and the baby, she told me its nothing to worry about, continue to eat the peanuts. I wish i has just listened to myself. What you eat and drink does influnece your childs allergies. Do research. I wish i had done my research earlier. I found out alot of stuff about what a mom eats and the effects on her baby. Please trust me. I am a loving mother and I feel i have poisoned my children. Please just take it from me..your body should be an alergy free zone. Just do the research. also, i thought i was doing the best for my two children by breastfeeding them, look what I have done to them. I feel so sad. Anyhow, please just do the research. And if you have any comments. Send them to me chasdor@hotmail.com..please I am not saying this to be mean, or scare you I just wish that If i can inform someone and prevent them from having to go through the same thing as me then it will be worth it.