Mom's Diet Influences Baby's Allergies

A possible link between what a mother eats during pregnancy and the risk of her child developing allergies has been identified in Journal of Physiology. The research found that if a mother's diet contains a certain group of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) -- such as those found in fish, walnut oil or flaxseed -- the baby's gut develops differently. The PUFAs are thought to improve how gut immune cells respond to bacteria and foreign substances, making the baby less likely to suffer from allergies.

The team found that supplementing a mother's diet with n-3PUFA caused the newborn's gut to become more permeable. A more permeable gut enables bacteria and new substances to pass through the lining of the gut into the bloodstream more easily. These new substances then trigger the baby's immune response and the production of antibodies. The end result is that the baby's immune system may develop and mature faster -- leading to better immune function and less likelihood of suffering allergies.