Science does not have all the answers, but it does have many

And "everything possible" sometimes means small things. A recent study led by a team from ISGlobal, a center promoted by the "la Caixa" Social Project, indicates that maternal diet during pregnancy can modulate the baby's risk of developing symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). More specifically, the research carried out by Mónica López Vicente and her team suggests that the higher the proportion of omega-6 (predominant in nuts) with respect to omega-3 (which we ingest through fish or olive oil, for example) during pregnancy, the greater the risk that babies will show ADHD symptoms at seven years of age.

Symptoms are discussed, not diagnosis, since no direct relationship was found between the omega-6/omega-3 ratio and the clinical diagnosis of ADHD, which requires the presence of at least six symptoms. What was observed is that, for each increase in the omega-6/omega-3 ratio, the number of ADHD symptoms at seven years of age increased by 13%. For Mónica, "it is a public health issue". At an individual level, 13% of symptoms is not much, but "if the percentage of ADHD symptoms increases by 13% in the population due to exposure to that high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, the impact on healthcare costs and society's productivity is indeed significant."

"If you know that something is influencing the origin of a problem, you can act to prevent it from happening, or at least minimize it," the researcher continues. "In this sense, nutrition is especially interesting because it is very easy to change: by just modifying your diet a little, you can have a very big impact on fetal development." With one caveat: both omega-3 and omega-6 are positive and necessary substances for brain development. It is not a battle of sardines against peanuts, eliminating the latter in favor of the former, but rather maintaining a balanced proportion between the two, since their functions in neuronal development are opposite (omega-6 promotes pro-inflammatory systemic states and omega-3, anti-inflammatory ones).

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In view of the results, the researcher recommends that pregnant women follow a Mediterranean diet based on fresh foods, vegetables, olive oil, and fish. But, in addition to diet, she tells us that there are other aspects that can influence the neural development of the fetus. Aspects that we can also, to some extent, control. For example, it has been shown that abusing paracetamol during pregnancy could increase the risk of showing symptoms of the autism spectrum and hyperactivity in children by up to 40%. And regarding not smoking or consuming alcohol, it is always insisted upon so much because it is known that the toxic elements of these substances cross the placenta, so the fetus is directly exposed to their highly harmful components.

"In the end, it's about seeing what lifestyle a pregnant woman should lead to maximize the baby's development," concludes Mónica. For this reason, at ISGlobal, they have been researching for years how the environment affects the neurodevelopment of the fetus. A 2018 study, for example, indicates that air pollution during pregnancy can affect babies' memory and attention span. For their part, researchers from the INMA project also pointed out in 2015 the negative effects of noise pollution during gestation. In the end, each study starts from a unique sample, has been carried out at different times, and analyzes different substances, but all point in the same direction: what happens during the nine months of pregnancy has consequences throughout the child's entire life. Fortunately, by adopting simple habits, such as taking long walks in green spaces, getting good rest, or swapping that bag of popcorn for a toast with olive oil, we can achieve an enormously positive return.

Text: Patri di Filippo

You can read more stories like these in ALMA, the social social network, a digital space dedicated to the social sphere that offers a new perspective on the present and future of society, based on an optimistic and diverse voice, and all the initiatives promoted by the "la Caixa" Social Project.