Toyama Regional Center for Japan Environment and Children's Study, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
Psychol Med. 2023 Feb;53(3):995-1004. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721002427. Epub 2021 Jun 25.
Intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has favorable effects, including reducing violent and aggressive behaviors, but its association with infant maltreatment is unknown. We therefore tested the hypothesis that maternal intake of omega-3 PUFAs is associated with a lower risk of infant maltreatment.
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 frequency questionnaire. Infant maltreatment was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire administered at 1 and 6 months postpartum.
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 quintiles 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.
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.
摄入欧米伽-3 多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFA）有很多好处，包括减少暴力和攻击行为，但它与婴儿虐待的关系尚不清楚。因此，我们检验了这样一个假设，即母亲摄入欧米伽-3 PUFA 与婴儿虐待的风险较低有关。
参与者为 92191 名参与正在进行的日本环境与儿童研究的母亲。在怀孕期间，使用食物频率问卷来测量欧米伽-3 PUFA 的摄入量。婴儿虐待情况使用产后 1 个月和 6 个月时的自我报告问卷进行评估。
以最低摄入量五分位数作为参考进行分析显示，随着五分位数的增加，“打”的调整后比值比（OR）及其 95%置信区间（CI）降低，第二至五分位数的值分别为 0.93（95%CI 0.77-1.13）、0.79（95%CI 0.64-0.97）、0.78（95%CI 0.64-0.96）和 0.72（95%CI 0.59-0.89）。6 个月时“剧烈摇晃”的调整后 OR（95%CI）分别为 0.87（0.73-1.04）、0.81（0.67-0.97）、0.73（0.61-0.89）和 0.78（0.65-0.94）。第二至五分位数“独自留在家中”的调整后 OR 分别为 0.92（0.87-0.98）、0.91（0.86-0.97）、0.94（0.88-0.99）和 0.85（0.80-0.90）。
怀孕期间母亲摄入更多的欧米伽-3 PUFA 与“打”和剧烈摇晃以及独自留在家中的情况较少有关，这意味着婴儿虐待的风险较低。我们的结果表明，欧米伽-3 PUFA 可能具有降低婴儿虐待的潜在适用性。
