A history of eating disorders and obesity before pregnancy enhance the risk of mental health diagnosis in offspring

A recent study found that children whose mothers had eating disorders and obesity before pregnancy were more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health condition.

The results of a recent study conducted on a Finnish population of almost 400,000 mothers and approximately 650,000 offspring showed significant links between mothers’ health and the mental well-being of their children.

The study suggests an association between maternal eating disorders and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) higher than the normal range for most of the nine psychiatric diagnoses examined in offspring.

Psychiatric diagnoses included in the study include mood and anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, intellectual disability, specific developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), ADHD, conduct disorders, social functioning and tic disorders (such as selective mutism and Tourette’s syndrome) , as well as feeding disorders in infancy and childhood.

The results showed that about 53% of women were overweight or obese before pregnancy, almost 6% were underweight and 1.6% had a history of eating disorders.

Comparing differences in the impact of maternal eating disorders and higher BMI on children’s mental health diagnoses, the study found an overall stronger association with maternal eating disorders than that associated with maternal BMI.

“The largest effects were observed for maternal eating disorders, not otherwise specified, in association with sleep and social functioning disorders in the offspring, and tic disorders, while in the case of severe maternal pre-pregnancy obesity, the largest effects were observed for intellectual disability in the offspring,” the researchers said. he wrote in a study published in Jama Network.

Eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) refer to a category of eating disorders that do not meet 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 craving and consuming non-food items, or night eating syndrome, which is characterized by binge eating in the evening hours.

“The study confirms previously published associations between maternal eating disorders and BMI and mental disorders in offspring, but also reveals recent associations” – Ida Nilsson, author of the study he said MedPage today.

“The findings highlight the importance of considering maternal eating disorders and BMI in maternity care to reduce the number of offspring with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. The findings also reinforce the importance of nutrition during pregnancy, Nilsson said.