Healthy Diet During Pregnancy Decreases Risk of Eczema and Wheeze in Baby
A Japanese study published in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (link: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123251237/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 ) shows what many of us in the allergy world have suspected for a long time- mom's prenatal diet does have an impact of the risk of atopic manifestations in offspring at 16-24 months of age. The study evaulated over 700 Japanese mother-child pairs. A diet-history questionnaire evaluated maternal consumption of fruits, vegetables, and antioxidants during pregnancy (at week 17). Atopic symptoms were evaluated based on criteria from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (at aged 16-24 months). The study found that higher maternal intake of green and yellow vegetables, citrus fruit, and β-carotene during pregnancy was significantly associated with a reduced risk of eczema, but not wheeze, in the offspring. Maternal vitamin E consumption during pregnancy was significantly inversely relat...