Authors: Kenta Matsumura, Kei Hamazaki, Akiko Tsuchida, Hidekuni Inadera, and the JECS Group

Title: Omega-3 fatty acid intake during pregnancy and risk of infant maltreatment: a nationwide birth cohort – the Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Journal(書誌情報）: Psychological Medicine

doi: 10.1017/S0033291721002427

論文URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291721002427

Abstract:
Background. Intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has favorable effects, including reducing violent and aggressive behaviors, but its association with infant maltreat- ment is unknown. We therefore tested the hypothesis that maternal intake of omega-3 PUFAs is associated with a lower risk of infant maltreatment.
Methods. Participants were 92 191 mothers involved in the ongoing Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Omega-3 PUFA intake during pregnancy was measured using a food fre- quency questionnaire. Infant maltreatment was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire administered at 1 and 6 months postpartum.
Results. Analysis using the lowest quintile of intake as a reference revealed that the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cases of ‘hitting’ decreased as quin- tiles increased, with values for the second to fifth quintiles of 0.93 (95% CI 0.77–1.13), 0.79 (95% CI 0.64–0.97), 0.78 (95% CI 0.64–0.96), and 0.72 (95% CI 0.59–0.89), respectively. Adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for ‘shaking very hard’ at 6 months were 0.87 (0.73–1.04), 0.81 (0.67–0.97), 0.73 (0.61–0.89), and 0.78 (0.65–0.94), respectively. Adjusted ORs for ‘leaving alone at home’ for the second to fifth quintiles were 0.92 (0.87–0.98), 0.91 (0.86–0.97), 0.94 (0.88–0.99), and 0.85 (0.80–0.90), respectively.
Conclusions. Higher maternal intake of omega-3 PUFAs during pregnancy was associated with fewer cases of hitting and violent shaking and leaving the child alone at home, implying a lower risk of infant maltreatment. Our results indicate the potential applicability of omega-3 PUFAs in reducing infant maltreatment.

著者Contact先の email: kmatsumu[at]med.u-toyama.ac.jp（[at]を@に変更してください。）

日本語によるコメント：本研究では、妊娠中に母親がオメガ3系脂肪酸（青魚に多く含まれるDHAやEPAなど）を多く取っていると、生まれてきた赤ちゃんに対して不適切養育行動（叩く，激しく揺さぶる、家に一人で放置する）を取る危険性が低くなることを明らかにしました。オメガ3系脂肪酸には暴力的・攻撃的な行動を抑制する効果だけでなく、動物においては母獣の養育行動を促す効果があると知られています。解析では、周辺構造モデルを用いた統計的因果推論を行いました。この結果より、妊娠中に母親がオメガ3系脂肪酸を積極的に摂取することで、赤ちゃんへの身体的虐待やネグレクト行動を減らせる可能性が示唆されました。

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