Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing?

doi:10.1136/bmj.m4269

Paper

Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing?

Published Nov 9, 2020 ·

The BMJ

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162

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2

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Abstract

Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health conditions worldwide, mak ing them a leading cause of disability. Even beyond diag nosed conditions, subclinical symptoms of depression and anxiety affect the wellbeing and functioning of a large proportion of the population. Therefore, new approaches to managing both clinically diagnosed and subclinical depression and anxiety are needed. In recent years, the relationships bet ween nutrition and mental health have gained considerable interest. Indeed, epidemiological research has observed that adherence to healthy or Mediterranean dietary patterns—high consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes; moderate consumption of poultry, eggs, and dairy products; and only occasional consumption of red meat—is associated with a reduced risk of depression. However, the nature of these relations is complicated by the clear potential for reverse causality between diet and mental health (fig 1). For example, alterations in food choices or preferences in response to our temporary psychological state—such as “comfort foods” in times of low mood, or changes in appetite from stress—are common human experiences. In addition, relationships between nutrition and longstanding mental illness are compounded by barriers to maintaining a healthy diet. These barriers disproportionality affect people with mental illness and include the financial and environmental determinants of health, and even the appetite inducing effects of psychiatric medications. While acknowledging the complex, multidirectional nature of the relationships between diet and mental health (fig 1), in this article we focus on the ways in which certain foods and dietary patterns could affect mental health.

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Study Snapshot

Adherence to healthy dietary patterns, high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, is associated with reduced risk of depression, but the relationship is complex and may involve reverse causality.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing?

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