Everyone wants to have a happy, healthy, well behaved, and smart kid. I don’t think there is a single person on this planet that would disagree with me.

A recent study that followed hundreds of European families over the course of 5 years links children’s behavior and intelligence during early years with the Mother’s diet during pregnancy.

You can read an article about the study here.

Highlights from the Study

1. Folate taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy reduces behavioral problems.
2. Eating oily fish throughout pregnancy is important for the child’s brain development and has a positive effect on reading ability.
3. Breast feeding could have a positive effect on the child’s mental performance later in life.
4. Other factors that can play a role in child’s mental performance include the parent’s educational level, socio-economic status, age, and genetic background.

Reference

University of Granada (2013, September 13). Diet during pregnancy and early life may affect children’s behavior and intelligence. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 15, 2013 /releases/2013/09/130913101815.htm

About Dawna Ara

Dawna is an acupuncturist, herbalist, functional medicine practitioner, a mom, wife, writer, nature lover, chef and whole foods advocate. She teaches how to live a healthy lifestyle through her website Eat Play Work Sleep.