Researchers in Iran, China, Canada, and UK recently published a study in Psychiatry Research showing a connection between depression in teen girls and the food they eat.
The researchers assessed 580 Persian girls between the ages of 12 and 18 for depression and aggression. They also compared their diets to the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern.
They discovered that there was a “significant inverse relationship between greater adherence to a DASH diet and lower odds of depression”. In other words, the closer they followed a DASH diet, the lower their risk of depression.
So what is the DASH diet?
| Food | Daily serving size |
| Grains | 6–8 |
| Vegetables | 4–5 |
| Fruit | 4-5 |
| Dairy | 2–3 |
| Lean meat, poultry, fish | 6 or fewer |
| Nuts, seeds, legumes | 4–5 |
| Fats and oils | 2–3 |
For more information on the DASH diet, visit the Mayo Clinic website.
This is one more study in a growing body of research showing a connection between what we eat and our mental health.