In the study, published in Nature Metabolism and conducted within the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC) 2010 cohort, investigators recruited 508 mother-child pairs and utilized self-reported dietary data collected at 24 weeks of gestation.
The investigators found that the Western dietary pattern, characterized by high consumption of processed meats, sugars, and refined grains, was linked to an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Specifically, the odds ratio (OR) for any neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis was 1.53 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17–2.00, P = .002), whereas the ORs for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism diagnoses were 1.66 (95% CI = 1.21–2.27, P = .002) and 2.22 (95% CI = 1.33–3.74, P = .002), respectively.
The investigators employed principal component analysis (PCA) to identify dietary patterns based on 95 nutrient constituents from food frequency questionnaires. The Western dietary pattern (PC2) explained 10.7% of the variance and was positively associated with intakes of animal fats and refined grains and negatively associated with intakes of fruits, fish, and vegetables.
In addition to the COPSAC2010 cohort, the findings were validated in three independent cohorts, including the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) with 59,725 mother-child pairs, the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial with 656 participants, and the COPSAC2000 cohort with 348 participants. The validation confirmed the association of the Western dietary pattern with ADHD diagnosis in the DNBC cohort (OR = 1.07, P = .002).
The investigators also identified 15 mediating metabolites that improved ADHD prediction, highlighting the potential biological pathways through which maternal diet may influence neurodevelopment. Notably, metabolites such as ergothioneine and indolepropionate were suggested to have protective roles, while certain lipid-associated metabolites indicated possible detrimental impacts on neurodevelopment.
“These findings highlight the potential for targeted prenatal dietary interventions to prevent neurodevelopmental disorders.” said lead study author David Horner, of COPSAC at the Herlev and Gentofte Hospital at the University of Copenhagen, and his colleagues.
The investigators noted that the associations were particularly pronounced in children with higher genetic predisposition and maternal prepregnancy body mass index.
The study underscored the critical role of maternal nutrition during pregnancy in shaping child neurodevelopmental outcomes. The investigators advocated for tailored dietary guidelines for pregnant women, especially those at risk, to potentially mitigate the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
Full disclosures are available in the study.