in February 2019, researchers in the United States published a study in International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, showing a connection between diet and mental health.
The researchers analyzed the health data of nearly 250,000 phone surveys conducted between 2005 and 2015, representing over 27 million adults annually. They specifically reviewed dietary habits and any connection those habits had to psychological distress, which was categorized as low, moderate, or serious.
What the researchers discovered was that participants who had moderate or severe psychological distress were more likely than those without to have the following dietary habits:
- Lower fruit consumption
- Lower vegetable consumption
- Higher french fries consumption
- Higher fast food consumption
- Higher soft drink consumption
- Greater number of teaspoons of sugar consumed daily
This is one more study among a growing body of research showing a connection between what we eat and our mental health. Here at Truehope, we’ve been promoting nutrition as mental health treatment for over 20 years.