In a recent study published in the journal PLoS ONE , a group of researchers investigated the relationship between maternal intake of fermented foods during pregnancy and offspring development at the age of 3 years. Study: Relationship between maternal consumption of fermented foods and the development of the offspring at the age of 3 years: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study . Image Credit: Zhuravlev Andrey / Shutterstock Fermented food intake regulates intestinal microbiota and helps prevent diseases like diabetes, allergies, depression, obesity, and constipation.
Studies indicate a link between autism, depressive symptoms, gut-brain interaction, and fermented food intake. While diet alters intestinal microbiota, fetal microbiota development begins in utero and is inherited from the mother. This implies maternal fermented food intake might influence fetal development by enhancing the intestinal environment.
Fermented foods also provide nutrients that are beneficial for child development. Further research is needed to comprehensively evaluate the factors influencing the association between maternal diet and offspring development. The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS) is a nationwide birth cohort study examining the environmental impacts on child health and development.
This study utilized data from the JECS, collecting information from 103,060 pregnancies. After excluding cases of multiple enrollment, multiple pregnancies, miscarriage or stillbirth, and.