Intake of B vitamins in childhood and adult life in relation to psychological distress among women in a British birth cohort.
BACKGROUND
Lower levels of B vitamins (particularly folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6) may be associated with psychological distress. Little is known about the impact of childhood nutrition on psychological distress in adult life.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether prospectively measured childhood and adult dietary intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 were related to the psychological distress of women in mid-age, taking into account socio-economic, behavioural and lifestyle factors.


METHODS
Prospective data were collected from a cohort of 636 British women followed up since their birth in 1946. Participants completed a 28-item, scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) to measure psychological distress at age 53 years. Dietary intakes in childhood (at age four) were determined by 24h recall and in adulthood (at age 36, 43 and 53 years) by a 5d food record.


RESULTS
Low dietary vitamin B12 intake at age 53 was associated with higher psychological distress at that age. Women in the lowest third of vitamin B12 intake in adulthood had a higher GHQ-28 score compared with those in the highest third (percentage change, adjusted regression coefficient, 21 (95% CI 3, 39)). There were no other significant associations between dietary B vitamin intake in childhood or adulthood and psychological distress in the cohort.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, there is evidence that intake of vitamin B12 at age 53 is related to adult psychological distress but there is no evidence for the effects of other adult B vitamin intakes or childhood intakes on psychological distress.
Mishra
Gita D
GD
MRC National Survey of Health and Development, Royal Free and University, College Medical School, London WC1E 6BT, UK. g.mishra@nshd.mrc.ac.uk
McNaughton
Sarah A
SA
O'Connell
Maria A
MA
Prynne
Celia J
CJ
Kuh
Diana
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009525:Niacin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013831:Thiamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006113:United Kingdom; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D055815:Young Adult
D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D009525:Niacin; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D012256:Riboflavin; D013831:Thiamine