How diet affects
Good nutrition and eating habits both can have a positive effect on your mood and mental health.
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mental health
dietitian Q&A
Q: What is mental health?
A: The term “mental health” includes emotional, psychological and social well-being, and affects how we think, feel and act. Good mental health helps people cope with daily stresses, be productive and stay physically healthy. Warning signs of a potential mental health problem can include withdrawing from activities you enjoy and changes in eating and sleeping habits.
Q: How are nutrition and mental health related?
A: Studies have found that people with depression often lack proper nutrition and are deficient in neurotransmitters like serotonin, which helps regulate mood, sleep and appetite. Around 95% of a person’s serotonin is produced in their gastrointestinal tract, which is lined with millions of neurons. Both the production of serotonin and the function of those neurons are influenced by the “good” bacteria in your intestines, which can be affected by what you eat.
Q: What foods can improve mental health?
A: Researchers have studied the effect different diets and eating patterns can have on mental health. Studies have found the risk of depression is 25% to 35% lower in people who eat a Mediterranean diet filled with fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood and unprocessed grains compared to those who eat a typical Western diet with more processed food.
Q: Are there foods I should cut out of my diet?
A: Past studies have found that people who eat poor-quality diets high in processed meat, sweets, fried food and high-fat dairy are more likely to report symptoms of depression. You don’t have to completely cut out these foods, but eat them in moderation and reach for healthy fruits, veggies and lean proteins first.
Q: Does eating healthy eliminate my risk of mental health conditions?
A: Diet is just one factor that can affect mental health, so while good nutrition may help lower your risk, it won’t cure or completely prevent mental health illnesses or disorders. Genetics, brain chemistry and life experiences all play a role in your overall mental health.
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More than 50%
of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder in their lifetime.
EATING HABITS
TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH
eat breakfast
every day
Starting the day off right with a healthy breakfast may help mental health. People who skip or delay breakfast are at a higher risk both for mood disorders and depression, so make time for a morning meal.
Share meals
with family
Eating with others has been linked to better mental health. Specifically, studies of children, teens and elderly adults have found that those who regularly eat with family are less likely to experience depressive symptoms.
Plan and prep ahead with family
According to research from the University of Georgia, meal prepping the night before can help families stick to a healthy eating plan when stressed. Keep healthy snacks available too, so it’s easier to pass on processed foods.
Stick to a schedule
Find an eating schedule that works, traditional or otherwise, and don’t skip meals. A 2020 study found that older adults who skipped meals were more likely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Vice President,
HealthMarket
Elisa Sloss, RD, LD
More than just what you eat, how you eat can also affect overall mental health. In addition to choosing nutritious foods, it’s also important to develop healthy mealtime habits.
—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sources
medlineplus.gov
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
health.harvard.edu
mayoclinic.org
Sources
cdc.gov
cambridge.org
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
stanfordchildrens.org
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
news.uga.edu
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
View Sources
Mental Health
Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses
Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food
Junk food blues: Are depression and diet related?
Learn About Mental Health
An eating pattern characterised by skipped or delayed breakfast is associated with mood disorders among an Australian adult cohort
Skipping Meals Is Associated With Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in U.S. Older Adults
Association between mental health and meal patterns among elderly Koreans
Family Meals: More Than Good Nutrition
The Association between Family Mealtime and Depression in Elderly Koreans
Meal prep can mean healthier meal plans in face of stress
Sources