A research article released last week concluded the importance of a healthy maternal diet, at least during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. It concluded that mothers who ate a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids, deep fried foods, citrus fruits and sweet raw peppers during the last 4 weeks had youngsters with a much higher allergy rate. Food allergies, inhalants, and eczema were the significant health issues. Interestingly a high intake of fish was inversely associated with eczema. I question the current scare about mercury consumption during pregnancy because it is stopping mothers from eating a very healthy food. At least mothers should be taking fish oils as obviously the anti-inflammatory effects reduced inflammation(eczema) in the offspring.
Where do the omega-6 oils come from? Usually the cheap vegetable oils and margarine. However the research only looked at omega-6 intake – perhaps the real culprit is the now thankfully maligned trans-fatty acids that go along with the cheap hydrogenated vegetable oils. Certainly if one is eating deep-fried foods they are most likely getting a good dose of omega-6 oils and trans-fatty acids. (Back at the turn of the last century lard from grass fed animals was a much better choice than the polyunsaturated oils of today!)
We already know that mothers low in folic acid at conception will cause neural tube defects. It seems that more and more kids have some sort of allergy/inflammatory issue. Perhaps it is the devitalized processed foods that permeate our culture!