Call it a family food affair.
A University of Calgary-led study attempting to determine how the diets of pregnant women could affect their children could go for decades, if those running the program have their way.
The 16-member team of scientists, split between the universities of Calgary and Alberta, is hoping the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study will be the most definitive investigation into the impact of what pregnant mothers eat prior to birth and the impact on their babies.
And with the ambitious goal of 10,000 participants, Dr. Bonnie Kaplan, a U of C professor of paediatrics and community health sciences in the faculty of medicine who is leading the effort, believes the findings will have a significant impact on pre-natal health planning for years to come.
“We want to build better babies,” said Kaplan, noting the old adage of “you are what you eat” applies to unborn children as much as it does to adults.
“People really forget that food is not entertainment, it’s the source of the cells in our bodies and our brains.”
Among the goals of the vast study is determining whether the dietary habits of mothers can help prevent post-partum depression as well as developmental disorders like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The multi-disciplinary probe, which includes scientists specializing in everything from psychology to bio-statistics, was launched thanks to a $5-million grant from the province for five years aimed at “big picture” research projects.
While other institutions have completed small scale pre-natal nutrition studies focused on the impact of certain elements, this will be the broadest of its kind, said Kaplan.
Participating mothers document what they eat, when they exercise, as well as their mental health while researchers prepare profiles of the parents to assess what types of genetic factors may come into play.
Stacey McCormick, APRoN’s first participant, has a 15-month-old daughter and a second baby due in November, and she believes parents would benefit from knowing how their own nutrition benefits or hinders their offspring.
“There’s not much information out there about what pregnant women should be doing, foodwise,” she said.
“I look forward to seeing the scientific evidence from this study.”
Kaplan said she hopes the study will manage to secure further funding to extend it well beyond its five-year mandate.
