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Diet Improves Cognitive Performance and Brain Vascular Health in Older Adults

Posted on by CNP Staff

Due to the aging world population, the number of people with cognitive impairment will have doubled by the year 2035. In addition, the number of individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) will increase substantially. Common denominators of these comorbidities are impaired vascular function and metabolic health. In this short article, we take a look at the connection between vascular health and cognitive function in the context of lifestyle factors, including nutrition. This connection is one of many within the diet-mental health relationship (DMHR), which nutritional psychology encompasses. The research discussed has been conducted by the Physiology of Human Nutrition (PHuN) research group in the Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences at Maastricht University.

 

The number of people with cognitive impairment will double by 2035.

 

Compared to the wealth of knowledge on the effects of dietary factors on peripheral vascular function and the risk of CVD and T2DM, not much is known about the effects of diet on brain vascular and metabolic health, and cognitive performance. This is of utmost interest since the brain is one of the most metabolically active organs. Impaired brain metabolic health is associated with cognitive decline, while impaired brain vascular function is a major pathophysiological factor preceding the development of dementia. 

Although a healthy lifestyle protects against cognitive impairment, it’s not known whether these brain markers are sensitive to dietary interventions to prevent or slow cognitive impairment and the development of dementia. The specific assessment of brain metabolic health — especially in different cognitive-control brain areas — and brain vascular function is thus highly relevant (Figure 1).

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Figure 1. Our research investigates the effects of dietary approaches on peripheral vascular and metabolic health, the risk of developing age-related conditions including CVD and T2DM, and the potential for dietary changes to improve brain health and cognitive performance (which can reduce the risk of dementia). 

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Figure 2. Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) cerebral blood flow (CBF) map in units of milliliters of blood per 100 grams of human brain tissue per minute (mL/100g tissue/min).

 

Methods

The research performed at the Physiology of Human Nutrition (PHuN) research group at the Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences at Maastricht University involves well-defined nutritional intervention trials that are designed to assess the effects of diet on brain (vascular) health and cognitive performance. Intervention effects are studied using innovative and emerging non-invasive brain MRI methods based on Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) perfusion contrast, which have provided means of probing metabolic effects in the brain, revealing brain metabolic health. Our findings show that cerebral blood flow (see Figure 2) can be considered a sensitive straightforward marker of brain vascular function, which strongly correlates with cognitive performance. 

Of note, lower cerebral blood flow is associated with accelerated cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia in the general population. Cerebral blood flow is quantified by the non-invasive gold standard, which is the MRI perfusion technique pseudo-continuous ASL. In older adults, aging accounts for a decrease of about 0.45% to 0.50% in global cerebral blood flow per year. We therefore primarily focus on older men and women who are known to be at increased risk of cognitive impairment. 

 

Lower cerebral blood flow is associated with accelerated cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia. 

 

Finally, cognitive performance is studied using the neuropsychological test battery CANTAB. These validated assessments for state-of-the-art cognitive performance testing focus on the main cognitive domains (i.e. attention, memory and executive function). 

 

Findings

In a published literature review (see reference 1), we have summarized the impact of dietary factors and exercise on brain vascular function in adults and discussed the relationship between these effects with changes in cognitive performance. We conclude that lifestyle factors, including diet and physical exercise, can improve brain vascular function which may contribute to the beneficial effects observed on cognitive performance. Indeed, in a recent study, we determined that aerobic exercise training improves regional cerebral blood flow in sedentary older men (2). These changes in cerebral blood flow may underlie exercise-induced beneficial effects on executive function. 

 

Diet and physical exercise can improve brain vascular function which may contribute to cognitive performance.

 

Recently, in another randomized, controlled crossover trial in older adults, the longer-term effects of soy nut consumption on brain vascular function and cognitive performance were investigated (3). We observed an increased regional cerebral blood flow following intake of soy nuts, which are not only rich in proteins but also in other potential bioactive ingredients. In fact, cerebral blood flow increased in four brain clusters located in the left occipital and temporal lobes, bilateral occipital lobe, right occipital and parietal lobes, and left frontal lobe which is part of the ventral network. These four regions are involved in psychomotor speed performance, which also improved as the movement time was reduced.

 

Relevance

The medical, psychosocial, and economic consequences of impaired cognitive performance in the context of the aging population will require multilevel assessments and multidimensional solutions. Effective dietary and evidence-based intervention and prevention strategies are therefore urgently needed. 

Beyond its scientific relevance, the outcomes of such research will contribute to other important areas. Dietary approaches, which can be implemented at relatively low costs by the aging world population, could scale down medical costs and therefore have significant societal and economic relevance. These studies are important from a consumers’ perspective as well as from an economic and public health point of view (e.g. health care costs, integrated dietary/lifestyle interventions, and dietary recommendations).

Empirical evidence on how nutrition interrelates with metabolic, vascular, and cognitive health supports our understanding of the DMHR as a whole and holds promise for future health-centric interventions. 

Visit the Diet and Aging and Diet and Brain Research Categories in the NPRL to learn more about how these factors interconnect. 

 

References

Joris, P. J., Mensink, R. P., Adam, T. C., & Liu, T. T. (2018). Cerebral blood flow measurements in adults: A review on the effects of dietary factors and exercise. Nutrients, 10. doi: 10.3390/nu10050530.

Kleinloog, J. P. D., Mensink, R. P., Ivanov, D., Adam, J. J., Uludag, K., & Joris, P.J. (2019). Aerobic exercise training improves cerebral blood flow and executive function: A randomized, controlled cross-over trial in sedentary older men. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 11(333). doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00333.

Kleinloog, J. P. D., Tischmann, L., Mensink, R. P., Adam, T. C., & Joris, P. J. (2021). Longer-term soy nut consumption improves cerebral blood flow and psychomotor speed: results of a randomized, controlled crossover trial in older men and women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab289.

 

Can The Quality of Plant-Based Diets Be Unhealthy and Lead to Depression?

Posted on by CNP Staff

This CNP Article is based on the findings from a recent study conducted by Lee, Eather, & Best, (2021).

The consumption of plant-based diets and the rate of depression have both risen within the last decade. While some studies have shown vegan and vegetarian diets to be conducive to mental health problems (e.g., Li et al., 2019), others claim that those who follow a plant-based diet experience higher levels of emotional health and well-being (Beezhold & Johnston, 2012). Still, others suggest that there is no relation (Lavallee, 2019). 

 

Could the lack of conversation around diet quality be cause for conflicting research?

 

Basically, the evidence on the relationship between plant-based dietary patterns and depression is inconsistent and conflicting. One possible explanation for this could be the lack of conversation around diet quality within the realm of plant-based diets. When we think of vegan and vegetarian diets, our brains may automatically conjure up images of health and vitality. And while such diets are associated with decreased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and other serious health issues, it’s important to discuss the different possible types of plant-based diets (Lee et al., 2021). 

A healthy plant-based dietary pattern is defined by a high intake of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, tofu, tempeh, and other minimally processed soy products. An unhealthy plant-based diet, on the other hand, would be characterized by high consumption of ultra-processed foods, high in fat and refined sugars. While decidedly low in nutrition, such diets can be vegetarian or vegan. You might know someone who falls into this trap — the friend who finds comfort in their decision to eat plant-based, only to consume french fries, donuts, highly processed plant-based meats, and other processed treats habitually. 

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Noticing the inconsistency within current research when looking at plant-based diets and depression, researchers Lee et al. (2021) took to Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin to survey the quality of vegans’ and vegetarians’ plant-based diets and their mental health. Of the participants surveyed, 165 self-identified as vegan and 54 as a vegetarian. The participants were aged 18–44, which is the same age group that is at the highest risk for depression (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2019). The majority (93%) were female. Although this method of data collection and the study’s restricted sample limits our ability to draw sweeping conclusions, it nevertheless adds value to our understanding of the diet-mental health relationship. Let’s take a look at the measurement tools and findings. 

Depression rates of the participants during the week preceding the survey administration were measured using the 20-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) scale, with scores of 16 or higher suggesting greater symptoms of depression. Diet quality was assessed using an adapted version of The Dietary Screening Tool (DST), a 20-item questionnaire that asks participants to provide an estimated intake frequency of specific food categories. 

 

As diet quality increased, depressive symptoms decreased.

 

The researchers found that BMI was a significant contributor to the model. In other words, participants with higher depression scores had higher BMIs — a finding that could be a factor of diet quality. Using a multiple linear regression model, it was found that diet quality accounted for 6% of the variation in depressive symptoms, with BMI accounting for a further 3%. Overall, diet quality and BMI accounted for 9% of the variance in depression symptoms. And, notably, as diet quality increased, depressive symptoms decreased. 

With the heightened availability of processed vegan and vegetarian food products, the importance of understanding diet quality should not be understated. This is especially true when considering the rise of research demonstrating that lifestyle changes including diet and exercise have been shown to impact symptoms of depression (e.g., Jacka et al., 2017). In an era where certain diets have sky-rocketed in popularity, it’s worth discussing the quality of plant-Based Diets as opposed to just its label. Only then can we be sure that the type of foods we are consuming is beneficial to both our physical and psychological health.

 

References:

Australian Bureau of Statistics. National health survey: first results, 2017-18 Canberra, act: Commonwealth of Australia, 2019. Available: https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4364.0.55.001Main+Features702017-18

Beezhold, B. L., & Johnston, C. S. (2012). Restriction of meat, fish, and poultry in omnivores improves mood: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Nutrition journal, 11, 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-11-9

Jacka, F., O’Neil, A., Opie, R., Itsiopoulos, C., Cotton, S., Mohebbi, M., Castle, D., Dash, S., Mihalopoulos, C., Chatterton, M., Brazionis, L., Dean, O,. Hodge, A., & Berk, M. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Medicine, 15(23), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y 

Lavalleea, K.,  Zhanga, X., Michalak, J., Schneider, S., Jürgen, M. (2019). Vegetarian diet and mental health: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses in culturally diverse samples. Journal of Affective Disorders, 248, 147–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.01.035 

Li, X. D., Cao, H. J., Xie, S. Y., Li, K. C., Tao, F. B., Yang, L. S., Zhang, J. Q., & Bao, Y. S. (2019). Adhering to a vegetarian diet may create a greater risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly male Chinese population. Journal of affective disorders, 243, 182–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.09.033

Lee, M. F., Eather, R., & Best, T. (2021). Plant-based dietary quality and depressive symptoms in Australian vegans and vegetarians: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, e000332. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjnph-2021-000332

 

Might a High-Fat Diet Impact Neurodevelopmental Disorders?

Posted on by CNP Staff

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 5, DSM-5 for short, classifies autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disabilities, specific learning disorders, communication disorders, and motor disorders as neurodevelopmental disorders, or NDDs. This cluster of disorders is associated with abnormal brain development and impairments in cognition, social-emotional functioning, and speech and language skills.

A common feature of NDDs involves changes in synaptic plasticity in the brain. Synaptic plasticity is the brain’s process of modifying synaptic transmission in response to experiences and stimuli. 

 

Lifestyle factors, such as diet, impact synaptic plasticity.

 

While the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with changes in synaptic plasticity are only partially understood, lifestyle factors, such as diet, also impact synaptic plasticity. In juvenile mice studies, a high-fat diet contributed to decreased hippocampal neurogenesis, poor memory, and impaired synaptic and cognitive function. By examining the molecular mechanisms affected by a high-fat diet, defined as a diet with a 30-50% fat content, Penna and his colleagues suspected there’s potential for understanding the molecular mechanisms associated with NDDs. 

Based on their review of study findings, Penna and his colleagues developed a diagram to illustrate potential molecular mechanisms connecting metabolic dysfunction of a high-fat diet to synaptic plasticity deficits related to NDDs.

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Figure 1.

(From Penna et al., 2020)

A chronic, high-fat diet contributes to low-grade inflammation in the body. Persistent activation of the body’s inflammatory response system leads to the release of proinflammatory cytokines and other hormones into the bloodstream. This results in neuroinflammation. 

 

A decrease in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) — a neurotrophin impacting synaptic transmission, was detected after consumption of a high-fat diet.

 

An associated dysfunction of neuroinflammation is changes in synaptic plasticity. These changes could be brought on by dysregulated local protein synthesis. In mice studies, a decrease in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) — a neurotrophin impacting synaptic transmission, was detected after consumption of a high-fat diet (Pistell et al., 2010). The resulting hypothesis is that lowered levels of BDNF may lead to lowered protein synthesis at the synapse. This contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction, which is linked to neuroinflammation, and alterations in synaptic plasticity found in NDDs — the effects of a high-fat diet.   

 

Improving the function of mitochondria in the synapse could have potential therapeutic and/or preventive benefits for neurodevelopmental disorders.

 

Since neuroinflammation and impaired synaptic plasticity are associated with NDDs, Penna and his colleagues suggested that diet changes focused on improving the function of mitochondria in the synapse could have potential therapeutic and/or preventive benefits for neurodevelopmental disorders.

 

References 

Penna, E., Pizzella, A., Cimmino, F., Trinchese, G., Cavaliere, G., Catapano, A., Allocca, I., Chun, J. T., Campanozzi, A., Messina, G., Precenzano, F., Lanzara, V., Messina, A., Monda, V., Monda, M., Perrone-Capano, C., Mollica, M. P., & Crispino, M. (2020). Neurodevelopmental disorders: Effect of high-fat diet on synaptic plasticity and mitochondrial functions. Brain Sciences, 10(11), 805. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10110805

Pistell, P. J., Morrison, C. D., Gupta, S., Knight, A. G., Keller, J. N., Ingram, D. K., & Bruce-Keller, A. J. (2010). Cognitive impairment following high fat diet consumption is associated with brain inflammation. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 219(1-2), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2009.11.010

Is Diet Affecting Children’s Mood, Happiness, and Well-being?

Posted on by CNP Staff

Adolescence is a developmental period commonly associated with increasing independence. With regards to eating behavior, teens and young adults take on more responsibility for exactly when they eat, along with what types of foods they choose to consume. This age group is therefore at greater risk for developing unhealthy lifestyle habits (Quehl et al., 2017). 

 

Adolescence is a developmental period commonly associated with increasing independence.

 

One lifestyle habit that tends to develop during the adolescent years is skipping meals. Hayhoe et al. (2021) explored the relationship between dietary choices and mental well-being and discovered that secondary school-age students who skipped breakfast or lunch scored lower on well-being. Well-being scores were also lower for those who chose an energy drink over eating a more traditional breakfast. Similar findings have been reported for older adolescents (Lesani et al., 2016). More specifically, college students who ate breakfast and did not skip meals reported being happier.   

So, once teens decide to eat, WHAT they eat definitely matters. Higher fruit and vegetable intake has been repeatedly linked to better mental health and well-being (Glabska et al., 2020; Guzek et al., 2020; Hayhoe et al.). Self-reported creativity, curiosity, and “eudaemonic” well-being (whether people feel engaged and experience life as meaningful and purposeful) are also greater with higher fruit and vegetable consumption (Conner et al., 2015). 

 

Higher fruit and vegetable intake has been linked to better mental health and mental well-being.

 

You may have heard of the Mediterranean diet — it has garnered much attention for its potential mental health benefits. It includes fish, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes/nuts, and monounsaturated fats from olive oil. This diet prioritizes whole foods over highly processed convenience foods. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet among adolescents has been associated with higher levels of subjective happiness, mental well-being, and positive emotional states (Esteban-Gonzalo et al., 2019; Ferrer-Cascales et al., 2019; Lopez-Olivares et al., 2020). Unfortunately, teens more commonly adopt Westernized diets. These consist of high-inflammatory foods, such as refined starches, sugar, saturated fats, and trans-fats that are nutritionally deficient. Think of processed meats, chips, sugary desserts, and other “junk” foods. 

Increased symptoms of depression have been associated with diets poorer in nutritional quality among female college students (Quehl et al.). McMartin et al. (2013) noted similar findings in preadolescents; diet quality was inversely associated with feelings of worry, sadness, or unhappiness. In other words, as diet quality dropped, these negative feelings grew. Also worth noting is that inflammatory dietary components can lead to a higher risk of being in the worst mental well-being category on outcome measures of psychosocial health, quality of life, and life satisfaction in this preadolescent age group (Lycett et al., 2021). Observing the diet trends in this slightly younger age group can help us predict what food choices they will make in adolescence.  

 

Westernized diets more commonly adopted by teens consist of high-inflammatory foods.

 

On a positive note, it doesn’t take long to notice the mental health benefits of a nutrient-rich diet. According to White et al. (2013), eating fruits and vegetables predicted improvements in positive affect the following day for young adults. These meaningful changes in positive affect were noted with 7-8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Smith and Rogers (2014) reported that eating fruit as a mid-afternoon snack for just 10 consecutive days (versus a chocolate/crisp) was associated with lower anxiety, depression, and emotional distress.  

Researchers are just beginning to investigate dietary change as an intervention for the treatment of mental health problems. To date, Francis et al.’s 2019 study represents the only randomized controlled trial demonstrating how a brief, three-week diet intervention in young adults decreases symptoms of depression. By increasing their intake of vegetables, fruits, whole-grain cereals, protein, unsweetened dairy, fish, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and spices, and decreasing refined carbohydrates, sugar, fatty or processed meats, and soft drinks, participants saw a significant reduction in depressive symptoms. Intervention effects were even maintained at a three-month follow-up.

 

Researchers are just beginning to investigate dietary change as an intervention for the treatment of mental health problems.

 

The teen years are often characterized by greater freedom, increased opportunity, and new challenges. What adolescents eat and when they eat can impact their outlook on these experiences and affect their overall well-being. So, when addressing the question, “Is diet affecting our children’s mood, happiness, and well-being?” the answer is proving to be “Yes.” To find out more about the child diet-mental health relationship, view CNP’s Parent Research Libraries.

 

References

Conner, T. S., Brookie, K. L., Richardson, A. C., & Polak, M. A. (2015). On carrots and curiosity: Eating fruit and vegetables is associated with greater flourishing in daily life. British Journal of Health Psychology, 20(2), 413-427. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12113

Esteban-Gonzalo, L., Turner, A. I., Torres, S. J., Esteban-Cornejo, I., Castro-Piñero, J., Delgado-Alfonso, Á., Marcos, A., Gómez-Martínez, S., & Veiga, Ó. L. (2019). Diet quality and well-being in children and adolescents: The UP&DOWN longitudinal study. The British Journal of Nutrition, 121(2), 221–231.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114518003070

Ferrer-Cascales, R., Albaladejo-Blazquez, N., Ruiz-Robledillo, N., Clement-Carbonell, V., Sánchez-SanSegundo, M., & Zaragoza-Marti, A. (2019). Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is related to more subjective happiness in adolescents: The role of health-related quality of life. Nutrients, 11(3), 698. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030698

Francis, H. M., Stevenson, R. J., Chambers, J. R., Gupta, D., Newey, B., & Lim, C. K. (2019). A brief diet intervention can reduce symptoms of depression in young adults – A randomised controlled trial. PLoS ONE, 14(10), e0222768. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222768

Glabska, D., Guzek, D., Groele, B., & Gutkowska, K. (2020). Fruit and vegetables intake in adolescents and mental health: A systematic review. Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny, 71(1), 15-25. https://doi.org/10.32394/rpzh.2019.0097

Guzek, D., Głąbska, D., Groele, B., & Gutkowska, K. (2020). Role of fruit and vegetables for the mental health of children: A systematic review. National Institute of Hygiene, 71(1), 5–13. https://doi.org/10.32394/rpzh.2019.0096

Hayhoe, R., Rechel, B., Clark, A. B., Gummerson, C., Smith, S. J. L., & Welch A. A. (2021). Cross-sectional associations of schoolchildren’s fruit and vegetable consumption, and meal choices, with their mental well-being: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2021; 0. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000205

Lesani, A., Mohammadpoorasl, A., Javadi, M., Esfeh, J. M., & Fakhari, A. (2016). Eating breakfast, fruit and vegetable intake and their relation with happiness in college students. Eating and weight disorders: EWD, 21(4), 645–651. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-016-0261-0

López-Olivares, M., Mohatar-Barba, M., Fernández-Gómez, E., & Enrique-Mirón, C. (2020). Mediterranean diet and the emotional well-being of students of the campus of Melilla (University of Granada). Nutrients, 12(6), 1826. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061826

Lycett, K. M., Wijayawickrama, D. J., Liu, M., Grobler, A., Burgner, D. P., Baur, L. A., Liu, R., Lange, K., Wake, M, & Kerr, J. A. (2021). Does an inflammatory diet affect mental well-being in late childhood and mid-life? A cross-sectional study. British Journal of Nutrition, 17, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114521001616

McMartin, S. E., Willows, N. D., Colman, I., Ohinmaa, A., Storey, K., & Veugelers, P. J. (2013). Diet quality and feelings of worry, sadness or unhappiness in Canadian children. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 104(4), e322-326. https://doi.org/10.17269/cjph.104.3845

Quehl, R., Haines, J., Lewis, S. P., & Buchholz, A. C. (2017). Food and mood: Diet quality is inversely associated with depressive symptoms in female university students. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research : A Publication of Dietitians of Canada = Revue canadienne de la pratique et de la recherche en diététique : une publication des Diététistes du Canada, 78(3), 124–128. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2017-007

Smith, A. P., & Rogers, R. (2014). Positive effects of a healthy snack (fruit) versus an unhealthy snack (chocolate/crisps) on subjective reports of mental and physical health: a preliminary intervention study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 1, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2014.00010

White, B. A., Horwath, C. C., & Conner, T. S. (2013). Many apples a day keep the blues away–daily experiences of negative and positive affect and food consumption in young adults. British Journal of Health Psychology, 18(4), 782-798. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12021

 

Can the Probiotics Found in Yogurt Give Athletes an Edge?

Posted on by CNP Staff

Elite athletes are under immense pressure to perform well. In many instances, their very livelihoods rely on them winning or performing optimally in competition. This pressure often results in an athlete feeling stressed and anxious before and during competition, something that sport psychologists refer to as pre-competitive anxiety. The majority of athletes consider anxiety to be debilitating to performance, and over 50% of sport psychology consultants working with Olympic athletes reported using techniques that help athletes to manage this anxiety during competition (Parnabas et al., 2014).

 

Pre-competitive anxiety that athletes experience, if left unmanaged, can have severe negative consequences on their overall performance.

 

The pre-competitive anxiety that athletes experience, if left unmanaged, can have severe negative consequences on their overall performance. These negative consequences can include lapses in concentration, muscle tightness, and diminished perception (Parnabas et al., 2014). In some cases, it can result in a complete breakdown of skilled technical movements, often referred to as the phenomenon of “choking” (Dong et al., 2020). 

Big sports fans (and athletes, themselves), know all too well what “choking” looks like in sport. An infamous example of this phenomenon is from Super Bowl LI, when the Atlanta Falcons were winning 28-3 in the third quarter only to end up losing by 6 points in overtime, after letting Tom Brady and the New England Patriots score 31 unanswered points for the win. Still a touchy subject for many Falcon fans out there!

Sport psychologists have been studying the phenomenon of “choking” for decades, and working with athletes to utilize techniques that lessen the impact that their anxiety has on their ability to perform. There have been several theories developed suggesting why this phenomenon occurs, many of which offer insight into how sport psychologists can work with athletes to improve their anxiety symptoms and lessen the instances of “choking” under pressure (Martens, 1990; Woodman et al., 2003; Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). Most of the skills that sport psychologists use to help their athletes manage their anxiety are relaxation techniques including deep breathing, meditation, imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation (Parnabas et al., 2014). However, even more recently researchers are beginning to investigate the impact that an athlete’s diet may have on the instances of “choking” in sport. 

 

Researchers are beginning to investigate the impact that an athlete’s diet may have on the instances of “choking” in sport.

 

Researchers in China sought to find out diet’s relationship to “choking” by studying elite divers’ performance under pressure. Dong et al. (2020), examined whether the consumption of a cultured probiotic yogurt containing live strains of beneficial bacteria could influence both the contents of an athlete’s gut microbiome and the instances of them choking under pressure in a simulated competition situation. 

Why yogurt? To understand why the researchers chose this food source, it’s important to have some background knowledge on the gut microbiome. According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer health benefits to the host” (Reid et al., 2019). When looking at several fermented foods, they found yogurt to be one of the best sources of probiotics. 

The human intestines are home to trillions of bacteria, together called the gut-microbiome. These bacteria have an impact on human physical health, and are more recently being implicated in mental health and performance (Liang et al., 2018). How does something so far away from the brain have any control over our mental processes? Well, gut bacteria produce substances such as neurotransmitters and hormones that make their way up to the brain and play a role in an individual’s response to stress, anxiety, and depression (Dong et al., 2020), something that athletes who are under pressure to perform optimally know well! Probiotics have been shown to ameliorate depression and anxiety scores in several studies because of their impact on the gut microbiome (Mohajeri et al., 2021). 

Dong et. al (2020), hypothesized that the “choking” phenomena in sport may be related to the composition of an athlete’s gut microbiome, and that supplementing an athlete’s diet with probiotics found in yogurt could both alter the composition of the gut microbiome, and lessen the instances of “choking” under pressure.

 

The “choking” phenomena in sport may be related to the composition of an athlete’s gut microbiome.

 

Because of the technical nature of their sport, elite divers are at high risk for experiencing “choking.” The researchers in this study wanted to find out if supplementing these diver’s diets with probiotics found in yogurt would help to regulate the athletes’ gut microbiome, and whether this would impact the likelihood of them “choking” under the pressure in a stimulated competition situation. This study explored two different experiments: the first being the correlation between the gut microbiome and the instances of “choking” in the athletes, and the second being the potential cause-effect relationship between supplementing the athletes’ diet with yogurt containing probiotics, and subsequent changes in the gut microbiome and the “choking” phenomena. 

To determine the correlation between the gut microbiome and instances of “choking,” researchers collected fecal matter samples to determine the microbiome contents of athletes at baseline, and then tested their performance in both high and low pressure competition-like situations. They found that there was a significant negative correlation between higher levels of the bacteria strains Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacillaceae, commonly thought of as beneficial bacteria strains in the gut, and the lowered instances of “choking.” They also found a significant positive correlation between the instances of bacteria Prevotellaceae in the gut, which is commonly referred to as a pathogenic bacteria strain, and “choking” (Dong et al., 2020). 

After this initial measurement, the researchers then divided the group between a high yogurt consumption group that received a higher intake of probiotic yogurt for 15 days, and a control group which did not receive extra yogurt supplementation. They then tested their gut microbiome content and their choking index, and found significant differences between the two groups in their gut-microbiome composition and their instances of “choking” under pressure! 

After the 15 day experiment, athletes in the high yogurt group had significantly lower amounts of Prevotellaceae bacteria, significantly higher amounts of Bifidobacteriaceae bacteria, and significantly lower instances of choking under pressure when compared to the control group. 

Studies like these illuminate that many aspects of human performance are impacted by the diet-mental health relationship, including sport. To find out how dietary intake patterns affect all aspects of human psychological, behavioral, cognitive, sensory-perceptual, interoceptive, and psychosocial well-being, visit the CNP Research Libraries.

 

References

Dong, W., Wang, Y., Liao, S., Lai, M., Peng, L., & Song, G. (2020). Reduction in the choking phenomenon in elite diving athletes through changes in gut microbiota induced by yogurt containing bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12: A quasi experimental study. Microorganisms, 8(4), 597. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8040597 

Liang, S., Wu, X., & Jin, F. (2018). Gut-Brain Psychology: Rethinking Psychology from the microbiota–gut–brain axis. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2018.00033 

Martens, R., Burton, D., Vealey, R.S., Bump, L.A. and Smith, D.E. (1990) Development and Validation of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). In: Martens, R., Vealey, R.S. and Burton, D., Eds., Competitive Anxiety in sport, Human Kinetics, Chapaign, 117-190.

Mohajeri, M. H., La Fata, G., Steinert, R. E., & Weber, P. (2018). Relationship between the gut microbiome and brain function. Nutrition Reviews, 76(7), 481–496. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy009 

Parnabas, V. A., Mahamood, Y., Parnabas, J., & Abdullah, N. M. (2014). The relationship between relaxation techniques and sport performance. Universal Journal of Psychology, 2(3), 108–112. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujp.2014.020302 

Woodman, Tim & Hardy, Lew. (2003). The relative impact of cognitive anxiety and self-confidence upon sport performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21, 443-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000101809  

Yerkes, R.M. and Dodson, J.D. (1908), The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-formation. The Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18, 459-482. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.920180503

 

Can Food Cues and Stress Influence What We Eat?

Posted on by CNP Staff

Today’s food landscape is full of sensory-perceptual cues that can drive us to consume high-calorie, energy-dense foods (Ravussin & Ryan, 2018). The abundance of these food cues is believed to be one of the main drivers of food overconsumption (Charbonnier, 2018), as is the availability of high-calorie, energy-dense foods. Exposure and availability are two concepts within nutritional psychology shown to influence our dietary intake behaviors and patterns.

Exposure to high-calorie, energy-dense food cues invoke a host of psychological, cognitive, behavioral, sensory-perceptual, and interoceptive processes that affect our response to these foods. This can be particularly true for those with obesity (Chao et al., 2020). The cognitive process associated with learning and memory involve the hippocampus — which is one of the structures in our brain found to be particularly vulnerable to the influence of high-calorie, energy-dense foods.

What does memory have to do with our response to food cues in our environment? Studies show that memories can influence our future food seeking for highly palatable and remembered food experiences. Let’s explore how these memories influence our response to food cues in our environment, particularly when related to memories of events we find stressful, or foods we remember as preferred.

 

Many situations that cause people to recall memories from their past are related to food.

 

Humans become conditioned to respond to food-related cues that are informed by past memory associations with previous food experiences. For example, an individual may start to associate stressful events with the feeling of reward experienced after eating high-calorie foods. Once this association is learned, encountering that same food stimulus can induce the same physiological and behavioral responses as previously experienced, including salivation, hunger, and ultimately repeated food intake (Chao et al. 2020).

A study by Chao et al. in 2020 examined whether briefly exposing individuals to their personal favorite foods or to an event they personally find stressful, would impact their hunger, anxiety, and food intake, compared with exposing them to cues that are considered ‘neutral’ to them.

Since it was hypothesized that the obese participants would have greater responses to cues than ‘normal weight’ participants, the researchers also investigated whether cue responses of hunger and food intake differed by weight status. Participants recruited were 18 to 45 years old and scored less than 40 on the BMI scale (30 and above is classified as obese).

 

It was hypothesized that the obese participants would have greater responses to cues than ‘normal weight’ participants.

 

‘Scene imagination’ questionnaires were used to find out more about the participants’ recent life events, helping to create personalized imagery scripts indicating participant’s personal stressors, favorite foods, and the cues they deemed neutral. Audiotapes were recorded using these structured and personalized scripts, and were played during the 3-day laboratory experiments to reproduce the same stressful, food, or neutral situation. In these sessions, participants were given headphones to listen to different audio recordings of these cues each day.

After each scene imagination session, each person was given free access to a buffet consisting of high-calorie snack foods such as chips, cookies, and brownies, as well as low-calorie snack alternatives including carrots and grapes. After an hour, the snack tray was carried away and examined to measure how much the person had eaten.

The results showed that food cues induced hunger to a significantly greater extent than the neutral and stress stimuli. But the weight class of the individual did not have an impact on the level of hunger evoked by food cues. A similar number of calories were consumed across the three stimuli. However, a difference was observed in the type of snacks mostly eaten by certain individuals after listening to the food and stress cue audiotapes.

In response to the food cue, those with obesity sought 81% of their calories from high-calorie snacks, which was significantly higher than ‘normal weight’ participants (63.5%). The obese subjects also recorded a significantly higher percentage intake of calories from calorie-rich snacks than their ‘normal weight’ counterparts following exposure to stress cues. Weight status, however, did not predict how much calorie-rich food a person ate following the neutral cue condition.

 

Interventions that decrease cue reactivity to food and stress may help obese individuals to cut down on calorie-rich foods.

 

This study found that obese adults obtained a greater proportion of their calories from high-calorie foods relative to ‘normal weight’ adults in response to food cues and stress, which is in accordance with previously conducted research. While these findings represent the efforts in this study only, they support the notion that people with obesity can be more vulnerable to food cues and stress, leading them to seek out more high-calorie and energy-dense foods. The study authors note that interventions that decrease cue reactivity to food and stress may help obese individuals to cut down on their intake of calorie-rich foods, and in turn, improve their diet-mental health relationship.

 

References

Chao, A. M., Fogelman, N., Hart, R., Grilo, C. M., & Sinha, R. (2020). A laboratory-based study of the priming effects of food cues and stress on hunger and food intake in individuals with obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 28(11), 2090–2097. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22952

Charbonnier, L., van Meer, F., Johnstone, A. M., Crabtree, D., Buosi, W., Manios, Y., Androutsos, O., Giannopoulou, A., Viergever, M. A., Smeets, P., & Full4Health consortium (2018). Effects of hunger state on the brain responses to food cues across the life span. NeuroImage, 171, 246–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.01.012

Ravussin, E., & Ryan, D. H. (2018). Three New Perspectives on the Perfect Storm: What’s behind the obesity epidemic?. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 26(1), 9–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22085

Stevenson, R., Francis, H., Attuquayefio, T., Gupta, D., Yeomans, M., Oaten, M., & Davidson, T. (2020) Hippocampal-dependent appetitive control is impaired by experimental exposure to a Western-style diet. Royal Society Open Science, 7(2).

 

Can Medicinal Mushrooms Provide Improvements in Human Cognitive Abilities?

Posted on by CNP Staff

In ancient times, mushrooms were commonly used as a source of medicinal practice. The fungus kingdom consists of various organisms that have beneficial effects on the human body. A fascinating medicinal mushroom recognized to have healing benefits beyond just physical health benefits is called Hericium Erinaceus (also termed Lion’s Mane). Hericium Erinaceus (HE) has health-promoting benefits which support many of our bodies’ systems, including the Nervous System. This medicinal mushroom has been researched to have neuroprotective properties that improve depression, anxiety, and cognitive abilities (Friedman, 2015). 

 

Hericium Erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) has been shown to have neuroprotective properties that improve depression, anxiety, and cognitive abilities.

 

A research study conducted by Saitsu et al. (2019) explores the effects of HE on an individual’s cognitive function over twelve weeks. This study takes place in two institutes in Fukuoka, Japan, with healthy participants over fifty years old. Participants were divided into two groups — one group was given four supplements of HE powder per day for 12 weeks, and the second group was given four placebo supplements with 0 HE powder for 12 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed through three different testing methods. A Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used, recognizing disorientation, memory, calculation, and language. The second test used was a Benton Visual Retention Test which estimated visual recognition, memorization, and constructing abilities. Lastly, a Standard Verbal Paired-Associate Learning Test (S-PA) was used to assess short-term memory through listening and remembering.

 

Researchers were able to see an increase in S-PA scores for both participants that consumed HE supplements and participants that consumed the placebo supplements, proving no statistical difference. The Bento Visual Retention scores for both groups also did not demonstrate a significant difference. However, researchers found a significant difference in MMSE scores in those who took supplements with powdered HE and those who took placebo supplements without HE. The significant difference between the two groups in the MMSE revealed that healthy individuals over 50 improved cognitive functions involving recognized disorientation, memory, calculation, and language over 12 weeks.

 

Healthy individuals over 50 improved cognitive functions involving recognized disorientation, memory, calculation, and language over 12 weeks, when supplementing with Hericium Erinaceus.

 

The significant result in MMSE scores can be explained by understanding the fascinating mushroom’s chemical properties. HE consists of a chemical compound called Hericenones, which activates the synthesis of the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in astrocytes (cells in the central nervous system). The NGF sustains the function of neurons in the central nervous system. These neurons often degenerate during the progression of neurological conditions like dementia. This study shows that consuming HE, which has properties that synthesize beneficial neurotrophic factors like the NGF, can provide possible benefits for healthy individuals and individuals who might have difficulties with neurological symptoms.

 

References

Friedman, M. (2015). Chemistry, nutrition, and health-promoting properties of hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) mushroom fruiting bodies and mycelia and their bioactive compounds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 63, 7108−7123.

Saitsu, Y., Nishide, A., Kikushima, K., Shimizu, K., & Ohnuki, K. (2019). Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceus. Biomedical Research, 40(4), 125–131. https://doi.org/10.2220/biomedres.40.125

The Development of a Nutrition Screening Tool for Mental Health Settings: The NutriMental Screener

Posted on by CNP Staff

A 2019 systematic review of studies identifying the dietary intake of people with severe mental illness (SMI) revealed that people with SMI were found to have significantly higher dietary energy and sodium intake compared with controls, and that higher energy and sodium intakes were associated with poorer diet quality and eating patterns (Teasedale et al., 2019). Another study exploring the self-reported dietary habits of acute psychiatric inpatients found that 75% of the psychiatric inpatients had an unhealthy diet (Gill et al., 2021). 

 

No dietary assessment tool or method has been validated specifically in people with SMI to date.

 

Those who use mental health services are at risk for common nutrition concerns. These risks, combined with the known physical-health disparities and life expectancy gaps existing for people with serious mental illness (SMI), make it important to identify and develop assessment tools that can be used by mental health professionals to determine the diet of an individual who uses mental health services. A recent study by Teasdale, Moerkl, Moetteli, and Mueller-Stierlin (2021) outlines the development of such a screener tool for use by mental health professionals to assess patient diet.

 

It is important to identify and develop assessment tools that can be used by mental health professionals to determine the diet of an individual who uses mental health services.

 

The NutriMental Screener is a nutrition and eating-behavior risk-screening tool being developed for use in clinical practice to identify mental-health service users with potential nutrition risks, including both overnutrition and undernutrition. This screener tool could be used to trigger a referral to a specialist clinician (i.e. dietitian/ clinical nutritionist). 

 

The NutriMental Screener is a nutrition and eating-behavior risk-screening tool being developed for use in clinical practice.

 

The development and validation processes associated with developing the NutriMental Screener are divided into five phases. 

Phase I, which has already been completed, entails the development of nutrition-related risk factors and their related themes of interest collected from screening tools used in mental health services. 

Phase II, which is partially completed, entails reviewing published literature and conducting service-user interviews across three mental health sites to gain a better understanding of the main concerns and challenges that people with SMI face in terms of eating patterns, filling gaps, and identifying additional domains. 

Phase III, involves researchers identifying key elements that will be used in creating the first draft of the screening tool. This entails the formation of an international working group of relevant stakeholders (including dietitians, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, nursing specialists, and peer workers) and people with SMI, who will all take part in two online workshops and an online survey to discuss the NutriMental Screening’s rationale and overall design, as well as the domains and themes identified in Phases I and II.  

Phase IV, involves the developed tool being pilot tested and studied in various multinational mental health facilities to determine its feasibility and preliminary validation. 

Phase V, the final phase, involves carrying out the previously required changes and alterations, followed by formal validation studies which include comparing results to validated nutrition and eating-related questionnaires, testing for associations with the occurrence or development of cardiometabolic outcomes, and determining predictive values for healthcare utilization. 

In conclusion, since no dietary assessment tool or method has been validated specifically in people with SMI to date, researchers believe that developing a targeted nutrition-risk screening tool can increase adherence for nutrition-risk screening and trigger a referral to specialist clinicians for further comprehensive nutritional assessment and appropriate plans.

 

References 

Gill, R., Tyndall, S. F., Vora, D., Hasan, R., Megna, J. L., & Leontieva, L. (2021). Diet Quality and Mental Health Amongst Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Patients. Cureus, 13(1), e12434. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.12434

Teasdale, S. B., Moerkl, S., Moetteli, S., & Mueller-Stierlin, A. (2021). The Development of a Nutrition Screening Tool for Mental Health Settings Prone to Obesity and Cardiometabolic Complications: Study Protocol for the NutriMental Screener. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 11269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111269

Teasdale, S.B., Ward, P. B., Samaras, K., Firth, J., Stubbs, B., Tripodi, E., & Burrows, T. L. (2019). Dietary intake of people with severe mental illness: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry: The Journal of Mental Science, 214(5), 251–259. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2019.20

 

 

How Nutritional and Social Pathways Influence The Relationship Between Food Insecurity and Mental Well-Being

Posted on by CNP Staff

Food insecurity is a widespread and growing issue in which individuals do not have access to adequate food and food sources that will help them achieve and experience a healthy lifestyle. Many studies are beginning to show that food insecurity impacts individuals’ physical and mental well-being. Researchers strive to better understand the relationship between food insecurity and mental health.

Researchers are striving better to understand the relationship between food insecurity and mental health

A study written by Weaver et al. (2021) investigated two possible explanations to explore the seemingly “black box” that links food insecurity and mental health. Researchers in this study aimed to investigate how food insecurity impacts depression and anxiety through two pathways: nutritional and social. The effect of nutritional pathways on the relationship between food insecurity and mental health was explored by measuring participants’ health markers (such as arm fat area, BMI, and hemoglobin levels). Researchers analyzed the effect of social pathways on food insecurity and mental health by testing social stressors such as not having desirable foods (e.g., meat) or not participating in socially ideal food practices (e.g., sharing foods with neighbors). 

This study took place in two distinct locations: a small rural area in Brazil and a medium-sized urban city in Ethiopia, which both reported high levels of food insecurity and depression. Researchers performed community surveys for households in Brazil and Ethiopia from 2015 to 2019, when the economy and food availability fluctuated.

The research was broken down into three phases. The first two phases involved preliminary procedures that established a mutual understanding of the social variables contributing to food insecurity. In the first research phase, researchers interviewed community members to create lists of socially food-related behaviors. The first variable that demonstrates socially food-related behaviors is defined as “CoC,” which represents normal food-related behaviors and food-related behaviors that reveal food insecurity. A second variable that demonstrated social food-related behaviors was food prestige, which measured how regularly individuals could purchase desired foods (e.g., meat, spices, butter, lasagna). 

A second variable that demonstrated social food-related behaviors was “food prestige,” which measured how regularly individuals could purchase desired foods (e.g., meats, spices, butter, lasagna)

The second phase of this research consisted of a confirmatory rating exercise. Participants rated food items written on cards on a scale of 1–4, indicating the strength of food insecurity and poverty. This phase confirmed a firm agreement with participants regarding which “CoC” food items demonstrated food insecurity and what foods were prestigious. 

The third phase of the research study involved examining the relationship between food insecurity and mental well-being within nutritional and social pathways. Researchers explored the relationship between the social variables (CoC and food prestige scores) and mental well-being variables through Common Mental Disorder Symptoms Scores (CMD). The nutritional variables were explored by testing the relationship between an individual’s arm fat area, body mass index, and hemoglobin level with their CMD scores. Other measured variables were participants’ wealth, household food insecurity, and household demographic data. 

As expected, this study reported that food insecurity scores were positively correlated with CMD symptoms. However, when analyzing the effect of the nutritional and social pathways on CMD symptoms, results varied depending on the location. Researchers found that socially food-related behaviors in this study were significant in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, both “CoC” and “food prestige” scores were correlated with CMD symptoms. However, in Brazil, “CoC” and “Food Prestige” scores were not correlated with CMD symptoms. 

This study found nutritional deficiencies within both populations; however, the nutritional measures were not correlated with food insecurity in Brazil and Ethiopia. Although no correlations between food insecurity and mental health were explored in the nutritional pathway, researchers state their nutritional assessment was limited to arm fat area, BMI, and hemoglobin. This information allows future researchers to test for other possible nutritional measures that could reveal a relationship between food insecurity and CMD symptoms through other health markers, such as essential nutrients that promote healthy brain function.

Micronutrients that might substantially impact an individual’s mental well-being are B vitamins, folate, and vitamin D

 

Measuring arm fat area, BMI, and hemoglobin levels may play a significant role in revealing how ‘healthy’ we are. However, these three health markers may not be as directly evident of mental well-being as other nutritional factors. Many vitamins and minerals have been researched to reveal a significant relationship with mental health (see Micronutrients and Mental Health in the CNP Research Libraries). Examples of micronutrients that might substantially impact an individual’s mental well-being are B vitamins (Sánchez-Villegas et al., 2009), folate (Bender et al., 2017), and vitamin D ( Högberg et al., 2012). Folate is found in many vegetables and has been previously discovered to be associated with depression significantly. The micronutrients vitamin B-12 and vitamin D are highly available in animal-based foods, and animal-based foods such as meat were labeled as “prestigious” in this study. Those who are “food insecure” were less likely to consume “prestigious” foods. Therefore, exploring vital micronutrients that are more prevalent in “prestigious foods” is an alternative way to assess how food insecurity impacts mental health through nutritional pathways. Analyzing alternative nutritional variables may help reveal significant evidence of how nutrition plays a role in food insecurity and well-being in future studies.

References

Bender, A., Hagan, K. E., & Kingston, N. (2017). The association of folate and depression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 95, 9–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.07.019

Högberg, G., Gustafsson, S. A., Hällström, T., Gustafsson, T., Klawitter, B., & Petersson, M. (2012). Depressed adolescents in a case-series were low in vitamin D and depression was ameliorated by vitamin D supplementation. Acta Paediatrica, 101(7), 779–783. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02655.x

Sánchez-Villegas, A., Doreste, J., Schlatter, J., Pla, J., Bes-Rastrollo, M., & Martínez-González, M. A. (2009). Association between folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 intake and depression in the SUN cohort study. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 22(2), 122–133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-277X.2008.00931.x

Weaver, L. J., Owens, C., Tessema, F., Kebede, A., & Hadley, C. (2021). Unpacking the “black box” of global food insecurity and mental health. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 282, 114042–114042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114042

Are Kids’ Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Meal Choices Associated With Well-Being?

Posted on by CNP Staff

Our developmental years are predictive of overall well-being and long-term health. In fact, early life well-being and affect (the outward expression of a person’s internal emotions) may be predictive of positive life outcomes a decade later (Kansky et al., 2016). Having optimal nutrition, including an abundant amount of fruits and vegetables, is advised for children to promote a healthy lifestyle. While it is common knowledge that consuming fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods benefits our physical health, studies are beginning to investigate the role of nutrient-dense foods and their positive impact on psychological health. Previous research has found that eating more fruits and vegetables is associated with less depression, increased happiness, better life satisfaction, and higher social-emotional wellness (Conner et al., 2017).

 

Studies are beginning to investigate the role of nutrient-dense foods and their positive impact on psychological health.

 

In a cross-sectional study, researchers explored the relationship between children’s nutrition and mental health and investigated whether nutrient-dense foods like fruit and vegetables impacted their mental health (Hahoe et al., 2021). Researchers took self-reported dietary choices from children enrolled in over 50 schools in Norfolk, UK. Two versions of the self-reported dietary choice surveys were appropriately constructed for secondary and primary school children. The survey consisted of questions that provided data for the study, including demographics, possible health conditions, nutrition, living situations, and adverse experiences (Tennant et al., 2007). Mental health was evaluated through the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) for secondary school students and the Stirling Children’s Well-Being Scale (SCWS) for primary school students.

This study found a significant relationship between children’s nutrition and their mental health. Researchers found that both secondary school students and primary school students had a strong relationship between their nutritional habits and mental well-being. Mental well-being in this study is defined as being in a condition where an individual is aware of their abilities, can manage life stressors, be productive, and contribute to their community. 

 

Students had a strong relationship between their nutritional habits and mental well-being.

 

Students who consumed more fruits and vegetables had significantly higher mental well-being scores. Another nutritional variable that revealed a relationship with students’ mental well-being scores was the type of breakfast consumed. Those who consumed a conventional breakfast (such as cereal, yogurt, porridge) had higher well-being scores than those who consumed snacks/breakfast bars, energy/non-energy drinks, or other, or nothing. The consumption of lunch also demonstrated a notable relationship with well-being, as students who did consume lunch had a lower well-being score than those who did not consume lunch.

Researchers’ findings revealed significant results supporting the relationship between children’s nutrition and mental health. These findings are a valuable addition to the growing body of research exploring the relationship between nutrition and children’s psychological health. Read more about the child and adolescent Diet-Mental Health Relationship in the CNP Parent Research Library.

 

References 

Conner, T. S., Brookie, K. L., Carr, A. C., Mainvil, L. A., & Vissers, M. C. (2017). Let them eat fruit! The effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on psychological well-being in young adults: A randomized controlled trial. PloS One, 12(2), e0171206. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171206

Hayhoe, R., Rechel, B., Clark, A. B., Gummerson, C., Smith, S. J. L., & Welch, A. A. (2021). Cross-sectional associations of schoolchildren’s fruit and vegetable consumption, and meal choices, with their mental well-being: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, e000205. DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000205

Kansky, J., Allen, J. P., & Diener, E. (2016). Early adolescent affect predicts later life outcomes. Applied Psychology, 8(2), 192–212. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12068

Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., et al. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): Development and UK validation. Health Qual Life Outcomes 5, 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-5-63

 

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