title: Prenatal maternal depression symptoms and nutrition, and child cognitive function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is currently known about how maternal depression symptoms and unhealthy nutrition during pregnancy may developmentally interrelate to negatively affect child cognitive function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test whether prenatal maternal depression symptoms predict poor prenatal nutrition, and whether this in turn prospectively associates with reduced postnatal child cognitive function.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 6979 mother-offspring pairs participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in the UK, maternal depression symptoms were assessed five times between 18 weeks gestation and 33 months old. Maternal reports of the nutritional environment were assessed at 32 weeks gestation and 47 months old, and child cognitive function was assessed at age 8 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During gestation, higher depressive symptoms were related to lower levels of healthy nutrition and higher levels of unhealthy nutrition, each of which in turn was prospectively associated with reduced cognitive function. These results were robust to postnatal depression symptoms and nutrition, as well as a range of potential prenatal and postnatal confounds (i.e. poverty, teenage mother, low maternal education, parity, birth complications, substance use, criminal lifestyle, partner cruelty towards mother).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prenatal interventions aimed at the well-being of children of parents with depression should consider targeting the nutritional environment.
authors.affiliation: Edward D. Barker, PhD, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, and Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, UK; Natasha Kirkham, PhD, Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, UK; Jane Ng, MD, Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Canada; Sarah K. G. Jensen, MSc, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, and Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kirkham
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Sarah K G
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014888:Wechsler Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data