Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2016 December, 240(4)

Fermented Food Consumption and Psychological Distress in Pregnant Women: A Nationwide Birth Cohort Study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study

FUMIAKI TAKAHASHI,¹, HIDEKAZU NISHIGORI,² TOSHIE NISHIGORI,² SATOSHI MIZUNO,³ TAKU OBARA,⁴ HIROHITO METOKI,⁵ KASUMI SAKURAI,⁶ MAMI ISHIKURO,⁷ NORIYUKI IWAMA,² NOZOMI TATSUTA,⁸ ICHIKO NISHIJIMA,⁹ IKUMA FUJIWARA,¹⁰ TAKAHIRO ARIMA,¹¹ KUNIHIKO NAKAI,⁸ TAKASHI SUGIYAMA,¹² SHINICHI KURIYAMA,^7,13 NOBUO YAEGASHI² and THE JAPAN ENVIRONMENT & CHILDREN'S STUDY GROUP

¹Department of Clinical Research Network, Clinical Research, Innovation and Education Center, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
³Department of Bioclinical Informatics, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
⁴Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
⁵Department of Public Health and Hygiene, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
⁶Department of Operational Headquarters, Environment and Genome Research Center, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
⁷Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
⁸Department of Development and Environmental Medicine, Environment and Genome Research Center, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
⁹Department of Biobank Lifescience, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
¹⁰Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Environmental Medicine, Environment and Genome Research Center, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
¹¹Department of Informative Genetics, Environment and Genome Research Center, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
¹²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, Japan
¹³Department of Disaster Public Health, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Health benefits of fermented foods are attracting attention worldwide, and they have been traditionally eaten in Japan. Moreover, a recent study showed the association between the higher intake of yogurt and lower prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression, during pregnancy are serious health concerns and may increase the risk of adverse outcomes in children. In this study, we explored the association between fermented food consumption and psychological distress in 10,129 pregnant Japanese women, using the fixed data of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), an ongoing nation-wide birth cohort study. Food consumption was assessed with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and the Kessler 6-item psychological distress scale (K6) was administered to eligible women during their second or third trimester to eliminate overlap with the period of hyperemesis gravidarum. The mean median gestation in the subjects was 24.8 weeks. In total, 9,030 subjects completed the K6 questionnaire and FFQ. Importantly, the prevalence of the K6 score of ≥ 13 was 3.1% (280 subjects). This value was lower compared to precedent studies, which may reflect that cooperative and health conscious subject participated in the survey. The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicates that the intake of yogurt, lactic acid beverages, cheese, Japanese pickles, miso soup, or fermented soybeans was not significantly associated with a K6 score of ≥ 13. In conclusion, the present cohort study shows no association between fermented food consumption and psychological distress symptoms during the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

keywords —— fermented foods; Japan Environment and Children's Study; pregnant women; psychological distress; the second or third trimester of pregnancy

© 2016 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2016, 240, 309-321

Correspondence: Hidekazu Nishigori, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-mach, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan.

e-mail: nishigori@med.tohoku.ac.jp