Child Nutrition Affects Mental Health!

A recent study found that children who received less healthy and sustainable nutrition at an early stage were prone to psychological symptoms later, especially depression and anxiety in late childhood. According to "News Medical," there is a strong relationship between early diet and the Big Five personality traits: conscientiousness, extraversion or introversion, agreeableness, openness, and lower scores in neuroticism. The study revealed that the early diet of children at 6 months, 18 months, and 7 years was linked to the occurrence of anxiety and depression symptoms at 8 years of age. Compared to early dietary patterns, it was shown that diet at ages 3 and 7 plays a more active role in the onset of anxiety and depression in children. The study relied on medical record data for births in Norway from 1999 to 2008, involving over 114,000 children and 95,000 mothers, documenting nutrition from the 17th week of pregnancy until the child turned 8. The period from pregnancy to the child's age of two is considered crucial for the growth and development of vital organs and body systems, and this stage also shapes the child's personality, mental health, and social-emotional development.