A recent study found that children of mothers with a history of eating disorders and obesity before pregnancy are at a higher risk of mental health diagnoses. The research, involving nearly 400,000 mothers and 650,000 offspring in Finland, showed significant links between maternal health and the mental well-being of their children. The study revealed associations between maternal eating disorders and high pre-pregnancy BMI with psychiatric diagnoses in children, including mood and anxiety disorders, autism, ADHD, and more. The researchers noted that maternal eating disorders had a stronger impact on children’s mental health compared to maternal BMI. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing maternal health in maternity care to reduce the risk of offspring developing psychiatric disorders.
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