Many studies have looked into the various factors that can affect mothers' mental health. Among them, nutrition emerges as a potentially linked element to perinatal anxiety and depression, given the intense metabolic changes that accompany pregnancy. Several researches have studied the impact of diet on mental health through the presence or depletion of micro and macronutrients. Although not providing energy per se, micronutrients are essential for the proper functioning of the body: they include vitamins and minerals. Macronutrients, on the other hand, are the body's main source of energy, constituting the caloric intake. Other studies have observed that a "healthy" diet could have a protective effect against depression or anxiety compared to a "Western" diet. However, few studies have taken a comprehensive approach to link the scale of nutrients to dietary patterns and observe their impact on perinatal mental health.
The aim of this study was therefore to analyze the links between nutrients and dietary patterns, in relation to mental health during the perinatal period. Many factors that could potentially affect this relationship, such as a history of mental health disorders or BMI, were taken into account in the analyses. As expected, the so-called "healthy" diet, characterized mainly by the consumption of fruits and vegetables, was associated with the availability of essential micronutrients. The results of the study also showed that a "Western" diet, composed mainly of industrially prepared dishes, snacks, and processed meats, was associated with a low availability of certain micronutrients, an excess of certain macronutrients, and symptoms of postnatal depression. The results of this study suggest that an imbalance of certain essential micronutrients and macronutrients, associated with the physical and psychosocial changes characteristic of this period, could increase the risk of perinatal mood disorders. Thus, modifying dietary patterns and nutritional intake seems relevant in the prevention or improvement of symptoms of perinatal depression. Further research is also needed to evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional intervention programs during the perinatal period.
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https://soepidemio.com/2022/07/04/le-regime-alimentaire-prenatal-affecte-t-il-lhumeur-de-la-mere/
Authors:
Knox B, Galera C, Sutter-Dallay AL, Heude B, de Lauzon-Guillain B, van der Waerden J. A network analysis of nutritional markers and maternal perinatal mental health in the French EDEN cohort. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023;23(1):603. Published 2023 Aug 23. doi:10.1186/s12884-023-05914-w
