Analysis of dietary habits for 3 months after birth for the purpose of preventing postpartum depression

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24273
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Shikoku University
• Principal Investigator: KAWABATA Sayaka 四国大学, 生活科学部, 助教 (40735768)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 栄養学 / 産後うつ / 食事パターン / 栄養指導 / 食事指導 / 育児支援 / 食事調査 / 産後うつ病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to determine whether postpartum dietary patterns affect the incidence of postpartum depression. Four dietary patterns were extracted from the dietary surveys of 319 participants within one year postpartum, and their association with the risk of postpartum depression was examined. Among the identified patterns, the odds ratio for the risk of postpartum depression in the moderate adherence group to the Mediterranean diet pattern, compared to the low adherence group, was 0.17 (95% confidence interval 0.03-0.81), showing a significant association. On the other hand, the odds ratio in the high adherence group was 2.13 (0.53-8.49). Covariance structure analysis comparing the path coefficients for each food group between the moderate and high adherence groups to the Mediterranean diet pattern revealed differences in the balance of food group selection between the two groups.

Free Research Field

栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、産後海藻類や豆類、果実類などからなる地中海食パターンを中程度遵守した群は、そうでない群と比較すると産後うつリスクが有意に低く、様々な食品群をバランスよく取り入れている傾向にあった。さらに、家族による育児のサポートや睡眠時間の確保といった充実した育児環境も有意に産後うつリスクを低下させることが明らかとなった。本研究成果は、産後うつ予防を目的とした母子栄養指導や育児支援の発展に寄与し得る。