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Mothers who followed the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy saw improved cognitive, social, and emotional development in their children at two years of age. The research published in JAMA Network Open and carried out in the city of Barcelona, located in Spain, compared babies whose mothers followed the feeding plan, with a group that did not.
The Mediterranean diet is a plant-based way of eating. It has its origin in the traditional cuisine of countries such as Greece, Italy and others that border the Mediterranean Sea. Foods are plant-based such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, herbs, and spices.
The star ingredient is olive oil, which is the main source of added fat. In addition, this eating plan includes fish, shellfish, dairy, and poultry in moderation. On the contrary, they do not frequently include red meat and sweets.
The Mediterranean diet is famous for reducing the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, dementia, depression, and memory loss. In addition, following this eating plan improves heart and bone health. It also prolongs the life of those who stick to it and generates greater general well-being for them.
Another aspect of the study was to look at mothers who took stress reduction classes during pregnancy. The parents obtained higher scores in social and emotional well-being, compared to those who did not attend. Stress is a feeling that can resonate with the endocrine, nervous and immune systems, according to experts.
“There are changes in hormone levels with stress, and it should come as no surprise to learn that variations in maternal hormones have implications for fetal and neonatal development and health,” Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive medicine and of lifestyle.
Research and findings
The women in the study were identified as having a high-risk pregnancy, specifically that the baby was born small for its gestational age, one of the leading causes of infant death. The doctors gave the parents free olive oil and walnuts, as well as meeting with expert nutritionists who provided them with recipes, shopping lists and a weekly meal plan.
The other group of high-risk women attended group yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions during eight weeks of pregnancy. They also met with them at home to focus on the relationship between the mother and the developing baby. A third group of women received only standard prenatal care.
The research findings indicate that 22% of women, who received only prenatal care, gave birth to low birth weight babies. In the case of the parents who attended stress reduction classes, they minimized the risk by 15.6% and 14% of the women who followed the Mediterranean diet.
At two years of age, the children were analyzed according to the Bayley scales of child development, which assesses cognitive, social and emotional aspects. In the first aspect, the minors had five points more in the cases of the parents who ate a Mediterranean diet. Therefore, the researchers conclude that exposure to various nutrients influence the fetus, including taste preferences in the early stages of life.
Likewise, in the case of stress reduction, scores also increased with respect to social and emotional development. However, the promotion of meditation or mindfulness needs more studies and evidence, said Dr. Miguel Martínez-González, a professor of preventive medicine and public health at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, located in Spain.
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