Washington, Oct 29 Low levels of healthy folate in mothers could make their kids susceptible to having attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems at age seven to nine years, a new study has found.

It has long been suggested that healthy folate (the natural form of folic acid) levels in expectant mothers is linked with healthy nervous system development in their children.

"Our findings further support the hypothesis that maternal nutrition contributes to an individuals' development, with potential consequences for their behavior later in life," said Dr. Wolff Schlotz.

The long-term effects of poor maternal nutrition may even extend to the child's ability to interact with peers or form social bonds.

The researchers also found that children born from mothers with a low folate status had a notably smaller head circumference at birth, which may indicate a smaller rate of prenatal brain growth in children adversely affected by low folate levels.

This is a cause for concern among low-income populations where the nutritional health of the mother is a low priority, and women are less likely to take folate supplements in advance of pregnancy.

The study is published in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. (ANI)