Study: Diet in Early Life Can Influence Child Mental Health and Personality

Mother’s diet during the antenatal phase and children’s food consumption in the early stages of development shares a relationship with their mental health and personality. 

Growth and development phase from conception until 2 years is critical for physiological and brain development. This stage also underpins socio-emotional growth and personality development. Adequate nutrition including iodine, iron, and long-chain fatty acids is necessary for normal brain development. Inadequate supply may cause cognitive or motor delay. 

To ascertain whether there is a relationship between nourishing food habits throughout pregnancy and early childhood period and childhood symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as personality features, researchers performed a study.

Based on the results, parents reported a reduction in the scoring of the depression scale followed by adherence to the new nordic diet (NDD) during pregnancy which comprises fruits, root vegetables, cabbages, potatoes, oatmeal, milk, and whole grain breads among others. 

According to the study, a nutritious diet was positively correlated with cognitive development up to the age of five. In addition to reduced the likelihood of cognitive developmental delay. A protective relationship between a balanced diet and the risk of preeclampsia and premature birth was also found by the researchers. They also discovered a positive relationship between birthweight and the NDD score.

A lower risk of receiving an ADHD diagnosis, better verbal intelligence and executive functioning, as well as a little improvement in ADHD symptoms in children, have all been associated with high-quality diets. The nutrition of children at ages 3 and 7 had, in comparison to earlier ages, a more significant relationship with anxiety and sadness, the researchers discovered. Such association works on the basis of the availability of nutrients and antioxidants in blood circulation during the developmental period. 

A healthy diet during pregnancy, according to the study’s findings, was indirectly linked to greater conscientiousness, extraversion, kindness, and creativity scores, as well as lower neuroticism scores. Other researchers quoted within the study identified that a healthy diet shares a correlation with easy temperament. 

Such research studies remind us to place heavy emphasis on regulating dietary patterns, particularly during pregnancy and early development of the child. As the child grows, the development of preference for specific foods might become prevalent. Based on the total diet, one should balance such inclinations.

In yogic culture, sattvic, tamasic and rajasic dietary patterns are associated with temperament.

The Rajasic diet consists of meals that are very spicy, salty, and sour, as well as pungent vegetables, preserved foods, wine, garlic, onions, and other strong flavours. These foods cause hyperactivity, irritability, rage, and insomnia by stimulating the body and mind. The tamasic diet, on the other hand, consists of white flour, hard liquor, warmed or stale food, too much sugar, fats and oils, among other things. These meals have the potential to slow the intellect, promote lethargy, and exacerbate aggressive traits. Lastly, sattvic diet is light and easy to digest. Raw and fresh food including fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, milk and curd, rice, wheat, and legumes improve health and energy. It also harmonizes the mind. 

Limiting the significance of food and nutrition to physical growth undermines the vital role it plays in personality and psychological development. Understanding how meals affect the body allows one to keep an eye on the early dietary patterns that children develop.