According to a new study , the cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children is to be found in the mother’s diet during pregnancy.

Expectant mothers who take too many omega6 polyunsaturated acids have been shown to increase the risk of their children developing ADHD syndrome around the age of seven.

Especially if this consumption occurs in the last months of pregnancy.

ADHD IN CHILDREN: THE CAUSE MAY BE THE DIET OF THE FUTURE MOTHER

Establishing a link between the nutrition of expectant mothers and the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity is a new study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

By analyzing data from 600 Spanish children and crossing them with samples previously collected from their mothers’ umbilical cord, the researchers found that higher concentrations of omega6 fatty acids in maternal plasma corresponded to a greater risk of children at seven years of age suffering from ADHD . .
What does this mean in practical terms?

That pregnant women must avoid consuming too many omega6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and balance them with an adequate consumption of fresh fish (obviously cooked!).

Omega6 fatty acids are in fact more inflammatory than omega3 , even if they are partly essential.

We find them in frying seed oils, soybean oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil.
And obviously in dried fruit, in the bran of whole foods and as an ingredient in snacks, biscuits, chips, packaged foods of various kinds. The essential part of these fatty acids is minimal and is estimated to be around 6 grams per day, while one to two grams per day of omega3 are more than enough.

But in the Western diet, omega-6 fatty acids are among the most consumed. 

Excessive consumption can happen if you consume too many fried foods or too many products that contain these oils or too much nuts or oil seeds (spreads, sauces, dried fruit in excessive quantities).

The woman expecting a baby should therefore.

• Avoid foods that aren’t fried in olive oil.
• Do not consume packaged foods, either as baked goods or as sauces, creams, preparations, foods in oil in sunflower oil, croquettes, breaded or fried frozen foods, chips or the like.
• Limit the consumption of nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts or soy products, especially if you already consume a lot of whole grains.
• Balance polyunsaturated fats with adequate portions of fish (3 per week) or dehydrated seaweed or flaxseed oil (which still contains a dose of omega6, about 15 grams per 100). To learn more: guide to proper nutrition during pregnancy.