Department of Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
Department of Community Nursing, Musasahino University, Tokyo, Japan.
Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2022 May;22(2):225-232. doi: 10.18295/squmj.5.2021.103. Epub 2022 May 26.
This study aimed to evaluate food consumption frequency in 1-6-year-olds as an eating behaviour-related predictor of behavioural problems over a span of six years. Eating behaviour in early childhood serves as a foundation for future health outcomes. Diet patterns can have long-term beneficial or adverse effects on social behaviour development.
This longitudinal study was performed based on information obtained between July 2011 and August 2017 provided from a project named 'Community Empowerment and Care for Wellbeing and Health Longevity' initiated in 1991; the current study involved 124 mother-child dyads from the project. Children aged 1-6 years were studied in July 2011, with a follow-up assessment in August 2017. The primary exposure examined was the frequency of food items intake. The primary outcome was behaviour problems as assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
The adjusted results suggested that a higher intake of leafy green and light-coloured vegetables were significantly associated with decreased odds of conduct problems and prosocial behaviour problems in Japanese children. However, no associations were observed among fruits, milk, small fish, eggs, soybeans, seaweed and any SDQ subscales.
This study shows that eating leafy green and light-coloured vegetables may have a protective effect on a child's conduct and against prosocial behaviour problems. Due consideration should be given to children's eating habits in the early stages of their lives to ensure better mental health.
本研究旨在评估 1-6 岁儿童的食物消费频率，将其作为行为问题相关的饮食行为预测指标，研究跨度为六年。儿童早期的饮食行为是未来健康结果的基础。饮食模式会对社会行为发展产生长期的有益或不利影响。
本纵向研究基于 1991 年启动的“社区赋权与关爱健康和长寿”项目中于 2011 年 7 月至 2017 年 8 月获得的信息进行；本研究涉及该项目中的 124 对母婴对子。1-6 岁的儿童在 2011 年 7 月进行研究，2017 年 8 月进行随访评估。主要暴露因素为食物摄入频率。主要结局为采用《长处和困难问卷》（SDQ）评估的行为问题。
调整后的结果表明，摄入更多的绿叶蔬菜和浅色蔬菜与日本儿童品行问题和亲社会行为问题的发生几率降低显著相关。然而，水果、牛奶、小鱼、鸡蛋、大豆、海藻与任何 SDQ 分量表之间均无关联。
本研究表明，食用绿叶蔬菜和浅色蔬菜可能对儿童的品行问题和亲社会行为问题具有保护作用。应在儿童生命早期阶段就充分考虑儿童的饮食习惯，以确保更好的心理健康。
