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In a recently published study, Nutrients In this journal, researchers evaluated the association between maintaining healthy dietary habits and mental health in Spanish nursing students.
Multivariate regression models revealed that lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet correlated with increased depressive symptoms among students, confirming that diet is an important factor in mental health.
The Mediterranean diet (MD) is characterized by being low in saturated fats and high in vegetable oils. It became popular in Italy and Greece in the 1960s and is still promoted today by organizations such as the Oldways Preservation Trust and the Dietary Foundation.
Previous studies have shown that MD can help reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes and improve cardiovascular health.
Contemporary cultural shifts such as urbanization, globalization of food production, and Western-style consumerism threaten MD because of a general decline in adherence to this “gold standard” in diet.
Such trends are frequently associated with increased risk of non-communicable diseases such as depression and anxiety.
Mental health conditions are a global medical and social concern, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has formally defined positive mental health as “a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual realizes his or her potential, adapts to the natural pressures of life, performs productive and supportive work, and meets the demands of daily life.”
Despite increased awareness through media and clinical campaigns, between 1990 and 2013, depression increased by 53.4% and substance abuse increased by 45%.
Research has revealed that young people aged 17 to 24 are at high risk of mental illness, with 9% and 55% of health science students worldwide suffering from some form of anxiety or depression, respectively.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation even worse, with the Spanish National Statistics Institute (NSI) reporting that the number of suicides in 2020 reached 4,003, significantly higher than in the years before the pandemic. These statistics are a cause for alarm and make finding preventive measures against the disease a top priority.
Some scientists have hypothesized that the diet may improve an individual's mood and mental state. Although studies have been conducted on the cardiovascular and anti-cancer effects of MD, the association between MD and mental state has not been evaluated.
In the present study, the researchers aimed to investigate how adherence to MD is associated with mental health morbidity and potential sociodemographic contributors to the observed patterns.
The study was conducted between October 2022 and March 2023 among 289 randomly selected nursing students from the University of Valencia (Spain).
The sample cohort consisted of 32.1% of the 901 students enrolled at the time, with those under 17 years of age and those who declined to participate being excluded from the study group. Participants were informed of the purpose of the study and provided with a self-administered online survey.
The survey covered socio-demographics (gender, age, employment status, marital status) and health (height, weight, clinical reports, and self-perceived health). [SPH]) variable.
The questionnaire collected data on students' lifestyle, including smoking, psychotropic drug, alcohol and beverage consumption. Alcoholism was assessed separately using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise (AUDIT-C), which accurately detects abusers and individuals at risk of developing addiction in the future.
Finally, participants were asked to enter their academic details (courses, current grade point average). [GPA]) to assess academic achievement variables.
The researchers separately recorded DM adherence using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS-14) and mental health status using the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS).
Statistical analysis was performed on the above data using a multiple logistic regression model with DM adherence as the independent variable and mental health, body mass index (BMI), and smoking as dependent variables.
Of the 289 participants in the study, 86.5% were women aged 17-30 (mean 20.6 years). Health data showed that 82.4% had no chronic diseases and 74% had a BMI within the normal range. Smokers made up 8% of the study subjects, and only 4% (13 people) reported taking psychotropic medications daily.
However, 58.1% and 61.9% of participants reported daily consumption of alcohol and beverages, respectively.
Statistical analysis revealed that only 36.5% of students were strictly adhering to the MD and there was no correlation between MD adherence and gender, BMI, or chronic disease status. MD adherence increased with age, but no association was found between drug/alcohol intake and adherence.
However, smokers were found to have significantly lower levels of MD adherence compared to non-smokers in the cohort.
GADS results show that 45.3% and 46.4% of participants exhibited symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively, which are significantly higher than the global average. Women are significantly more likely to exhibit mental health symptoms than men, with older adults slightly more likely.
Adherence to the MD was significantly associated with mood, with participants with depressive symptoms having much lower adherence scores than those without mental health problems. Anxiety showed a similar trend, with poor adherence to the MD strongly predicting participants' anxiety.
“…students who scored higher on the Goldberg Total Scale and Depression Subscale had significantly lower scores on the MD Adherence Questionnaire.”
In the current study, researchers found a strong correlation between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and mental health concerns among Spanish nursing students. Participants who adhered to the Mediterranean diet had much lower anxiety and depression scores than those who did not.
No associations were found between sex, health, or drug/alcohol intake, but smokers were significantly less likely to adhere to MD than nonsmokers.
“The depression-preventing effects of MD may be due to a combination of adequate intake of omega-3 and other naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants found in olive oil and nuts, flavonoids and other phytochemicals found in fruits and other plant foods, and high amounts of naturally occurring folate and other B vitamins.”
This study establishes a link between diet and mental health and suggests that healthy eating should be adopted as a preventative measure against anxiety and depression, especially for at-risk youth.
The findings support universities including foods lower in saturated fats and higher in vegetable oils in their dorms and dining halls as an added measure to improve the overall health and well-being of students.