AbstractBackgroundLower levels of B vitamins (particularly folate, vitamin B₁₂and vitamin B₆) may be associated with psychological distress. Little is known about the impact of childhood nutrition on psychological distress in adult life.ObjectiveWe investigated whether prospectively measured childhood and adult dietary intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B₆and vitamin B₁₂were related to the psychological distress of women in mid-age, taking into account socio-economic, behavioural and lifestyle factors.DesignProspective data were collected from a cohort of 636 British women followed up since their birth in 1946. Participants completed a 28-item, scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) to measure psychological distress at age 53 years. Dietary intakes in childhood (at age four) were determined by 24h recall and in adulthood (at age 36, 43 and 53 years) by a 5d food record.ResultsLow dietary vitamin B₁₂intake at age 53 was associated with higher psychological distress at that age. Women in the lowest third of vitamin B₁₂intake in adulthood had a higher GHQ-28 score compared with those in the highest third (percentage change, adjusted regression coefficient, 21 (95% CI 3, 39)). There were no other significant associations between dietary B vitamin intake in childhood or adulthood and psychological distress in the cohort.ConclusionsOverall, there is evidence that intake of vitamin B₁₂at age 53 is related to adult psychological distress but there is no evidence for the effects of other adult B vitamin intakes or childhood intakes on psychological distress.