Families with young children ‘need State help’
One major finding of the Lifeways study was that children of mothers with relatively higher fruit and vegetable intake and higher oily fish consumption are less likely to be affected by later childhood asthma.
The study was part of a seven-year research programme funded by the Health Research Board that included the views of more than 40,000 people in order to get a longitudinal view of the health of the nation.
It covered areas such as the dietary habits of pregnant women, the increased risk of eating disorders among Irish schoolchildren and the risk factors to health in grandparents.
The massive project conducted by the research board unit for Health Status and Health Gain involves 24 research papers published yesterday in a special supplement by the Irish Medical Journal.
The new research findings, launched yesterday by President Mary McAleese, provide evidence that will help in the future planning of the health service.
Head of University College Dublin’s school of public health and public science, Professor Cecily Kelleher, who led the research, said investment at early life stages would pay huge dividends in terms of true health benefits.
Just last week the National Health Service in Britain prioritised a healthy eating strategy for pregnant women. It was also an issue that Ireland needed to pay attention to, said Prof Kelleher.
The new Irish research found that while pregnant women are achieving the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables, less than 50% achieve the remaining daily dietary recommendations.
Just 12% achieved the dietary guidelines for salt, fat or sugar and 35% breast fed their children.
Research also showed that young children should have the same access to health services that are available to people over 70 years of age.
A study of the health of grandparents found around half had heart disease, about 20% had high cholesterol, 30% had high blood pressure and 5% had diabetes.
The studies also confirmed that as the country has become more urbanised, more disadvantaged areas had also developed and needed to be addressed in many ways.
The research also suggests that children who are most at risk from eating disorders are those children who are unhappy, who perceive themselves as not good looking, who have diet concerns, who are bullied more than twice a month and feel they are below average academically.
The head of child and adolescent psychiatry at UCD, Professor Fiona McNicholas, who led the research, said that while it was necessary to treat eating disorders, there must be a shift in focus to prevent the onset of the disorder.
“Introducing social, personal and health education into schools may go some way towards improving self-image and self-esteem among Irish school children but health professionals also need to play a role in preventing and detecting unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviours,” she said.
* Women over 35 years less likely to stop drinking while pregnant. Of these, 62% drank less and 37% stopped drinking.
* Women who decided to drink less during their pregnancy consumed wine more frequently than any other type of alcohol.
* Four out of 10 women did not take folic acid supplements to prevent brain and spinal defects prior to getting pregnant.
* Study of 2,469 pupils found 60% were normal weight, 32% were underweight and 7.5% were overweight or obese. Just over 10% of those who were underweight thought they were too fat.
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