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Adherence to the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet and depression, stress, and anxiety: a systematic review
As mental health disorders like depression and anxiety pose substantial challenges to global well-being, understanding lifestyle interventions becomes paramount. The MIND diet, previously linked to Alzheimer’s prevention, warrants investigation into its effects on emotional health. This systematic review evaluates the connection between adherence to the MIND diet and symptoms related to depression, anxiety, and stress.
To conduct this review, a comprehensive search through the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases was performed, incorporating studies up to August 2025. The investigation identified a total of 21 eligible studies, including 11 cross-sectional designs, assessing the correlation between the MIND diet and various mental health outcomes.
Notably, out of the included studies, twelve demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between adherence to the MIND diet and symptoms of depression. Furthermore, seven studies reported similar findings concerning anxiety, while three indicated a link to stress. Despite these insights, the results showed variability, likely due to differences in study design, assessment methods, and participant characteristics.
The evidence currently available suggests that higher adherence to the MIND diet may correlate with reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, the inconsistency and overall quality of the findings necessitate further investigation. Future studies, particularly well-structured longitudinal and clinical trials, are essential to validate these potential mental health benefits. [NPID: Mind diet, anxiety, depression, systematic review]
Year: 2026
