Poor diet linked to teen mental health problems
September 23, 2011 By Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation in Health
Improving diet can improve mental health outcomes, the study found. Credit: Flickr/PinkStock Photos!
Adolescents who eat unhealthily are more likely to develop mental health problems than those with good diets, a new study has found.
However, switching to a better diet could improve mental health, according to the Deakin University study, which was published today in the journal PLoS One.
The researchers analyzed the diets and mental health of 3040 Australian teens aged between aged 11 and 18 years in 2005 and 2006 and then again two years later. They found that even after accounting for factors such as socio-economic status, smoking and weight, those with better diets tended to have better mental health after two years, while things deteriorated for those with poor diets.
This is suggesting that for kids who arent getting enough nutrient-rich food, its predisposing them to to mental health problems, said lead researcher Dr. Felice Jacka from Deakin Universitys Barwon Psychiatric Research Unit.
This is the first study world wide to suggest the relationship is causal.
The researchers also examined whether depression or other mental health problems were causing teens to make bad diet choices, but found that this was not the case.
We looked the other way to see if mental health predicted diet and didnt find any evidence at all, said Dr. Jacka. The relationship only goes one way.
The study also found that for teens suffering mental health problems, changing to a healthier diet improved their state of mind.
Dr. Jacka said public health messages should include information about the role healthy eating plays in mental well-being.
So much of the discussion around poor dietary practices, the food industry and marketing to children is very much focused on the obesity epidemic. Thats important but we need to be expanding our discussion about the impact of poor eating practices to encompass mental health as well, she said.
Dr. Jacka said the government should use its legislative powers to restrict access to and advertising of nutrient-poor processed foods.
Dr. Tim Crowe, Associate Professor in Nutrition at Deakin Universitys School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences said very little research had been done examining possible links between diet and mental health.
We know a healthy diet affects our physical performance but as far as diet and mental illness goes, we dont know that much. One of the few areas that has been researched is Omega 3 fish oils and theres some reasonable evidence to show that this can play a part in brain function, said Dr. Crowe, who was not involved in Dr. Jackas study.
What [this study] shows is that the key concept of having a healthy diet is not only good for us physically and in preventing a range of diseases, its good for our brain as well, he said.
We know our brain needs a lot of nutrients to run and function and well. You are not going to get as many of those nutrients from a very nutrient-poor diet.
This story is published courtesy of the The Conversation (under Creative Commons-Attribution/No derivatives).
Source: The Conversation
-
Satisfying job leads to better mental health
Oct 14, 2010 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Lifestyle choices keep health all in the mind
Jul 28, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Depression not so clear cut for teens
Oct 12, 2010 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Not all children's multivitamins are created equal
Apr 14, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Attention to mental health boosts academic performance
Jun 21, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Of mice and mental models: Neuroscientific implications of risk-optimized behavior in the mouse
23 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
-
Limits to growth: Scientists identify key metastasis-enabling enzyme
May 22, 2012 |
5 / 5 (4) |
0
-
Seeing is as seeing does: Spatially-structured retinal input in early development of cortical maps
Apr 26, 2012 |
5 / 5 (4) |
1
-
Dreamless nights: Brain activity during nonrapid eye movement sleep
Apr 09, 2012 |
4.4 / 5 (12) |
0
-
Take your time: Neurobiology sheds light on the superiority of spaced vs. massed learning
Mar 28, 2012 |
4.5 / 5 (21) |
3
-
Classical and Quantum Mechanics via Lie algebras
Apr 15, 2011
- More from Physics Forums - Independent Research
More news stories
Most occupational injury and illness costs are paid by the government and private payers
UC Davis researchers have found that workers' compensation insurance is not used nearly as much as it should be to cover the nation's multi-billion dollar price tag for workplace illnesses and injuries. Instead, almost 80 ...
Health
15 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Early physical therapist treatment associated with reduced risk of healthcare utilization and reduced overall healthcare
A new study published in Spine shows that early treatment by a physical therapist for low back pain (LBP), as compared to delayed treatment, was associated with reduced risk of subsequent healthcare utilization and lower ...
Health
17 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
Cancer patients share web info with docs for insight, advice
(HealthDay) -- Cancer patients' primary goal in talking with their doctors about information they've found on the Internet is to get more insight and advice on the online information, new research indicates.
Health
20 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
P&G to add latches to make detergent packs safer
(AP) -- Procter & Gamble says it will change the design of packaging for its miniature laundry detergent product to deter children from eating the brightly colored packets that look like candy.
Health
20 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
In Spain, 70 percent of women use contraceptives during their first sexual encounter
Contraceptive use in Spain during the first sexual encounter is similar to other European countries. However, there are some geographical differences between Spanish regions: women in Murcia use contraceptives ...
Health
21 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Travel to high altitudes tied to Crohn's, colitis flare-ups
(HealthDay) -- People with inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and colitis, may be at increased risk for flare-ups when they fly or travel to high altitudes for skiing or mountain climbing, ...
Transvaginal mesh op restores pelvic organ prolapse at price
(HealthDay) -- Transvaginal mesh (TVM) procedures are effective for anatomical restoration of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), but patients report a worsening of sexual function following surgery, according to ...
Of mice and mental models: Neuroscientific implications of risk-optimized behavior in the mouse
(Medical Xpress) -- Regardless of an organism’s biological complexity, every encephalized animal continuously makes under-informed behavioral choices that can have serious consequences. Despite its ubiquity, ...
Cancer may require simpler genetic mutations than previously thought
Chromosomal deletions in DNA often involve just one of two gene copies inherited from either parent. But scientists haven't known how a deletion in one gene from one parent, called a "hemizygous" deletion, can contribute ...
Inherited DNA change explains overactive leukemia gene
A small inherited change in DNA is largely responsible for overactivating a gene linked to poor treatment response in people with acute leukemia.
Tongue analysis software uses ancient Chinese medicine to warn of disease
For 5,000 years, the Chinese have used a system of medicine based on the flow and balance of positive and negative energies in the body. In this system, the appearance of the tongue is one of the measures used to classify ...
Sep 24, 2011
Rank: not rated yet
Controlling for socioeconomic status won't eliminate all variables. They need to do a test specifically targeting families with histories of mental disorders and see if differences in diet correlate with better outcomes. Only then will we know if the relationship is causal or not.