New research from NorthPop sheds light on maternal diet and pandemic effects on child development
Two recently published studies from NorthPop provide fresh insights into early childhood health and development.
The first study investigated whether a pro-inflammatory maternal diet during pregnancy increases the risk of allergic diseases in children. More than 4,700 pregnant women were included, and their dietary patterns were analyzed using the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). When the children were followed up at 18 months, no link was found between maternal DII scores and outcomes such as food allergy, eczema, asthma, or IgE sensitization.
According to lead author Jonas Österlund, the results suggest that a more “pro-inflammatory” diet during pregnancy does not affect early allergy risk in offspring, though more research is needed to explore long-term immune development. The study was published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.
The second study examined how COVID-19 restrictions may have influenced toddlers’ neurological development. The researchers compared children from the NorthPop cohort born before (2016–2018) and during (2019–2021) the pandemic, using data from the “Ages and Stages Questionnaire” and follow-up at 18 months. The findings revealed a small but significant decrease in gross motor skills among children exposed to restrictions, while fine motor skills appeared slightly improved. The study highlights potential developmental effects of societal lockdowns and may inform future public health planning in the event of another pandemic. It was published in Acta Paediatrica, with medical student Elin Backman as first author.
“These studies provide important pieces of the puzzle on how maternal health and societal conditions shape early childhood development” said Prof Magnus Domellöf, PI for the NorthPop study and co-author of both publications.
About the publications:
Österlund J, Bodén S, Granåsen G, Ulfsdotter RL, Domellöf M, Winberg A, Johansson I, West CE. Maternal dietary inflammatory index during pregnancy and the risk of offspring allergic disease. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2025 Jul;36(7):e70148. doi: 10.1111/pai.70148.
Backman E, Lundberg-Ulfsdotter R, Silfverdal SA, West CE, Domellöf M. Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdowns on Gross Motor and Fine Motor Neurodevelopment in Toddlers. Acta Paediatr. 2025 Aug 15. doi: 10.1111/apa.70266.
