Depression, along with anxiety disorders affects over 300 million people worldwide. They are termed as “common mental disorders”(CMDs) due to their prevalence globally. Other than the standard treatments, scientists have now observed beneficial effects in overcoming these CMDs by incorporating a healthy and balanced diet in daily lifestyle. Dr. Joseph Firth, an Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Manchester and Research Fellow at NICM Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University, and colleagues published a new study in Psychosomatic Medicine. According to this study, adopting a healthier diet can boost people’s mood. However, it has no clear effects on anxiety. The study combined data from 16 randomized controlled trials with 45,826 participants. Results of the study indicated beneficial results on mental health, along with weight-loss, and fat reduction. Particularly, eating more nutrient-rich meals high in fibre and vegetables, while restricting fast-foods and refined sugars. Following a healthy and balanced diet appears to be sufficient for avoiding the potentially undesirable psychological effects of a ‘junk food’ diet.
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