Diet, Disease, and Mental Health

Mixed tree nuts (MTNs) are a great source of protein and heart-healthy fat that help you feel full. However, their comparatively high-calorie content wouldn't be advantageous on a diet to lose weight. This study by Wang J. et al. (2021) aimed to determine if adding MTNs to a weight reduction and maintenance program interfered with weight control compared to a pretzel snack (PS) made of refined carbohydrates. Ninety-five overweight participants who consumed 1.5 oz of MTNs or PS daily as part of a hypocaloric weight reduction diet (500 kcal) for 12 weeks, then an isocaloric weight maintenance program for 12 weeks, participated in this randomized, controlled, two-arm trial. The authors discovered that significant weight reduction was achieved by participants in the MTN and PS groups (relative to baseline). However, there was no distinction between the MTN and PS groups regarding weight reduction or other outcome variables. At 24 weeks, the MTN group showed a marked improvement in satiety. At 12 weeks, the diastolic blood pressure decreased in both groups. At 4, 12, and 24 weeks, participants in the MTN group had substantial reductions in heart rate, while at 12 and 24 weeks, plasma oleic acid significantly rose in the MTN group but only at 12 weeks in the PS group. The MTN group had a considerably lower plasma MCP-1 level at four weeks. In conclusion, the authors observed that both groups' individuals lost weight. Still, only the MTN intervention's effects on satiety, study retention, heart rate, and serum oleic acid after 24 weeks were more significant. [NPID: Mixed tree nuts, weight loss, weight maintenance, human study, inflammatory markers]

Grapes are thought to ameliorate the negative impact of Western diets. In this study by Dave et al. (2022), the authors evaluated the impact of grapes in an animal experiment using female C57BL/6J mice. The mice consumed a standard (semi-synthetic) diet (STD) from the age of six weeks up to 11 weeks, thereafter they were divided into groups receiving either STD, a high-fat diet (HFD, simulating the Western diet), an STD plus 5% standardized grape powder (STD5GP) or an HFD plus 5% standardized grape powder (HFD5GP). The dietary intervention continued for 13 weeks, thereafter the animals were euthanized, followed by sample collection (hepatic biomarkers, histology, and RNA sequencing). Genetic expression analysis revealed substantially enhanced protein synthesis, RNA and mitochondrial functioning, glutathione pathways, drug metabolism, oxidative stress, and detoxification pathways in STD5GP mice compared to STD controls. These gene expression differences were explained by the upregulation of oxidative stress-reducing and detoxifying genes Gstp1, Gss, Gpx7, Sod1, Gpx4, and Gpx8. Genetic expression analysis of the HFD groups demonstrated a substantial upregulation in fat metabolism, transportation, sequestration, hydrolysis, and downregulation in lipid content and cholesterol synthesis, with 5GP supplementation. These gene expression differences were further explained by observing a discrepancy in metabolic pathways responsible for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and Alzheimer's disease with 5GP supplementation. Histological analysis demonstrated the development of NAFLD with exposure to HFD, which was attenuated by 5GP supplementation. In a final experiment to determine the impact of GP on animal survival, C57BL/6J mice at the age of four weeks received STD for 10 weeks, followed by HFD or HFD5GP (n = 100/group). The others noted that HFD5GP mice lived longer in comparison to HFD mice. The authors conclude that grape supplementation ameliorates oxidative damage & NAFLD, enhances fatty acid metabolism, and improves survival when coupled with HFD. [NPID: C57BL/6J mice, RNA sequencing, grapes, high fat diet, metabolic diseases, nutrigenomics]

Hoover et al. (2022) conducted their study to investigate the relationships between recreational substance use (cannabis, alcohol, nicotine vapes, and cigarettes), obesity, parental problematic alcohol use, and the incidence of food addiction (FA), in an attempt to discover an addictive-like eating behavioral phenotype. Using a sample of 357 adults (50.3% female, mean age = 40.7 years old, 77.6% white), the authors collected data on participant body mass index, demography, and habits through the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS2.0), the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test, the E-Cigarette Dependence Scale, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and the Family Tree Questionnaire. Analysis of the results revealed that participants who smoked, used cannabis, vaped, have current problematic alcohol use, or had a family history of problematic alcohol use had higher odds of suffering from FA. Furthermore, the authors discovered no significant relationships between obesity and substance use or parental history of problematic alcohol use. The authors regard it appropriate to view FA as an addictive disorder, and that FA is linked to parental history of problematic alcohol use and to problematic substance use. Finally, the authors conclude that recognizing FA as an addictive disorder is important for the future of clinical diagnosis and management. [NPID: Substance use, alcohol, cannabis, vape, food addiction, obesity, diet]

This 2019 study utilized the data of the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study to determine the relationship between diet quality and 2-year changes in cognitive function. The aim was to specifically inspect the association between the Mediterranean diet score (MeDS) with the 2-year difference in cognitive function, comparing those with and without type 2 diabetes, and those with controlled and uncontrolled blood glucose levels. Comparisons were also made with other diet quality scores such as Healthy Eating Index, Alternate Healthy Eating Index, and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension scores. Mediterranean diet score (MeDS) was the only diet quality score that was positively associated with 2-year alterations in cognition in type 2 diabetes but was not in non-diabetics. Similar results were recorded for other cognitive tests (Mini-Mental State Examination, word recognition, digit span, and clock drawing tests). The results also remained consistent for individuals under glycemic control at baseline and either improved or kept stable over the 2 years, but this was not the case for individuals with uncontrolled or poor/declined glycemic control. Other findings include the link between all diet quality scores with higher 2-year memory function in adults without type 2 diabetes. Mattei et al. thus deduce from this study that adhering to a Mediterranean diet and effectively managing type 2 diabetes may support optimal cognitive function. [NPID: diet, disease, mental health, diet quality, cognition, Mediterranean diet, Med diet, blood glucose levels, DASH, diabetes, type 2 diabetes, word recognition]

In this 2019 study, nine outpatients with type 2 diabetes were given personal digital assistants for 6 months to record their psychological stress, anxiety, and depressive mood, as well as food and drink they consumed. The objective was to determine whether preceding psychological factors influence calorie intake within 5 hours. In past studies, questionnaires were used to obtain data, but they include recall bias. The personal digital assistant provides a means to record subjective symptoms and behaviors in participants’ daily lives. Higher psychological stress correlated with higher calorie intake from snacks within the following 5-hour time period. Whereas psychological stress, anxiety, and depressive mood were inversely associated with calorie consumption from regular meals. In summary, psychological factors were shown to affect the number of calories type 2 diabetic patients consume. [NPID: diet, disease, mental health, psychological stress, anxiety, depression, stress, type 2 diabetes, diabetes]

Although the evidence for the health benefits of consuming adequate levels of whole fruits has been growing, Dreher (2018) emphasizes that less than 10% of most Western populations manage to eat sufficient levels of whole fruits and dietary fiber. The purpose of this study was to present these health benefits associated with the adequate intake of whole fruits throughout the human life cycle. Consuming recommended levels reduces/prevents gastrointestinal issues (e.g. constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and diverticular disease), promotes long-term weight management, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, following this recommendation can protect against colorectal and lung cancers, improve odds of successful aging, reduce the severity of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, enhance mental well-being, and contribute to higher bone mineral density. Thus, low consumption of whole fruits may represent a more serious global population health threat than previously thought. [NPID: diet, disease, mental health, fruits, fiber, Western-style diet, WS diet, gastrointestinal issues, constipation, IBS, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, weight management, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, well-being]

This 2015 review provides an insight into the more recent nutritional developments in West Africa. While undernutrition remains a big problem, dietary patterns have changed as urbanisation increased and technology improved. There is evidence that intake of fruits and vegetables is low universally in West Africa, and obesity is becoming more prevalent. Most of the countries in Western Africa are at the early stages of nutrition transition but countries such as Cape Verde, Ghana and Senegal are at the latter stages. In the big cities, kids eat as much as 7 times more candies, ice cream and sweetened beverages as fruits and vegetables. In addition to the rise in adult obesity rates (115% in 15 years since 2004), there has been an increase in incidence of hypertension (high blood pressure) in countries such as Burkina Faso and Cape Verde. It has been reported to be more common in the cities. Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes ranges from 2.5 - 7.9% but it is as high as 17.9% in Dakar, Senegal. And it is not only people in the high socioeconomic classes that are affected by these nutritional factors. In cities such as Accra and Ouagadougout, at least 19% of adults from the poorest households are overweight, while 19-28 % have hypertension. The cooperation of governments, partners, private sector and civil society is needed to regulate the food and drink industry and to promote healthy eating to the public. [NPID: diet, disease, mental health, West Africa, malnutrition, FV intake, fruits, vegetables, obesity, Cape verde, Ghana, Senegal, hypertension, high blood pressure, Burkina Faso, high socioeconomic class, Affra, Ouagadougout, poor, overweight, public health]

The aim of this 2017 study was to examine the relationship between dietary patterns and mental health among elderly patients with a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack). The diets of 2171 adults (aged between 60 and 80 years) were evaluated with a food frequency questionnaire and 2 different assessment scores (the Dutch Healthy Nutrient and Food Score [DHNaFS] and the Dutch Undesirable Nutrient and Food Score [DUNaFS]). One of the dietary assessment scores (DHNaFS) was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and higher dispositional optimism. In fact, the consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and low fat-dairy were particularly linked with fewer depressive signs and greater optimism. A similar interaction was found between the average DHNaFS score over the preceding 41 months with depression and optimism. Rius-Ottenheim et al. concluded that a healthy dietary pattern, especially a diet high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and low-fat dairy, was related to fewer depressive symptoms and higher optimism. The findings may be explained by more optimistic participants making healthier food choices, signifying the possible need for further studies to confirm the direction of causality of this relationship. [NPID: diet, disease, mental health, heart attack, myocardial infarction, depression, optimism]