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Mediterranean diet and mental health in children and adolescents: A systematic review
Childhood and adolescence are crucial times for the development of mental health. Many favorable health outcomes, such as a decreased risk of mental health problems and fewer psychiatric symptoms, have been associated with the Mediterranean diet (MD). This study by Camprodon-Boadas et al. (2024) aimed to look into the relationships between children’s and adolescents’ mental health outcomes and their Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence. A comprehensive analysis of primary studies examining the relationship between adherence to the MD and mental health symptoms or problems was carried out. The authors searched the following databases for relevant literature from the time of conception up to November 2022: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, MEDES, Dialnet, and Latindex, evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Thirteen of the 450 studies—six cross-sectional, four case-control, two randomized clinical trials, and one longitudinal cohort study—met the inclusion criteria (n = 3058 children and adolescents, age range = 8.6 – 16.2 years). Of these, there was a substantial protective correlation reported in five publications (71.42%) analyzing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, four publications (80%) analyzing depression, and two publications (50%) analyzing anxiety. Furthermore, six of the articles (46.15%) were deemed to be of moderate level, while seven articles (53.84%) were classified as excellent quality. The results indicate that children’s and teenagers’ mental health may be shielded by following the MD. Promoting adherence to the MD may, therefore, contribute to preventing the onset of clinical psychiatric symptoms, reducing their severity, and improving the prognosis among young individuals. [NPID: Mediterranean diet, adolescent, child, mental health, psychiatry]
Year: 2024
