PLANT DIET BUB HEALTH BOOST
A DIET rich in leafy greens could be the key to a healthy pregnancy and the prevention of allergies and auto-immune conditions in children, startling new gut bacteria research shows.
New research led by the Barwon Infant Study (BIS) from Deakin University, along with four other Australian universities, has found a plantbased fibre diet during pregnancy could prevent some of the most serious medical conditions, including deadly pregnancy complication preeclampsia.
According to the study, pregnant women with low levels of the short-chain fatty acid acetate, due to an absence of plant-based foods in their diet, could be more at risk of developing the deadly condition.
The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, claims the condition could also interfere with a child’s immune development, possibly triggering higher allergy rates among children and auto-immune diseases such as diabetes later in life.
Co-author and co-lead of the BIS, Peter Vuillermin said a plant-based fibre diet could help to avoid pre-eclampsia and reduce the likelihood of babies developing certain medical conditions.
“We are still coming back to simple public health messages, which are to have a diet high in fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes and avoid processed carbohydrates which have bleached white flour — like pasta, white bread and biscuits,” he said.
“The study is interesting because all the evidence put together is consistent with this idea that the metabolic products of the gut bacteria are important not only to the mother’s immune system and protecting her from getting sick, but they are also important for the way the baby’s immune system is developing.”
More than 1000 pregnant women from the Barwon region were recruited to form part of the BIS between 2010-2013.
Pre-eclampsia occurs in up to 10 per cent of pregnancies.
Women with the condition are known to develop high blood pressure, have high protein levels in their urine, suffer swelling and are at risk of liver failure, epileptic seizures and death.
Lethbridge mother Kim McCallum said she was shocked to discover she had preeclampsia at her 30-week check-up when she was pregnant with her fourth daughter, Poppie.
“I was a bit shocked because Poppie was my fourth pregnancy and I didn’t have it with my older three girls,” she said.
“I had some of the signs — swollen feet and I was a bit tired. But I just thought it was hot, it was December and just part of being pregnant.”
Poppie, who is now eight, was forced to arrive eight weeks earlier than expected.
Ms McCallum said she believed she ate a balanced diet of meat and vegetables at the time, but had she known of the research all those years ago, she would have made more of a conscious effort.
Senior author Professor Ralph Nanan said the recommendation to eat real food, mostly plants, and not too much could be the most effective prevention strategy discovered from the study.
“The mother’s gut bacteria and diet appear to be crucial to promoting a healthy pregnancy,” Prof Nanan, from the University of Sydney School of Medicine and Charles Perkins Centre, said.
WE ARE STILL COMING BACK TO SIMPLE PUBLIC HEALTH MESSAGES, WHICH ARE TO HAVE A DIET HIGH IN FRUIT, VEGETABLES, NUTS, LEGUMES ...
CO-AUTHOR AND CO-LEAD OF THE BIS, PETER VUILLERMIN