A UK study published in Social Science & Medicine has found that consuming more fruits and vegetables improves mental health.
The study looked at more than 45,000 people, aged 15 years and above. The researchers have found that the primary outcome was mental health. The participants were assessed using a shortened version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ).
GHQ measures various aspects of mental health, including self-worth, self-confidence, sadness, worry, and happiness.
The researchers also collected data on participants’ overall health conditions and lifestyles, such as smoking or physical activities. They also collected data on potential predictors of well-being, such as age, gender, education, relationship status, the number of children, as well as income.
Descriptive statistics have revealed several patterns:
#1: Most people (78 percent) did not consume the recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables.
#2: There was a weak association between income and fruit/vegetable intake. Those who had the highest income ate fruits and vegetables more frequently than those who had lower income.
#3: Healthy eating was not associated with age linearly. Initially, the intake of vegetables and fruits increased with age. However, this trend reversed after age 64 and decreased further. One of the explanations is that retirement can result in less calorie intake and less physical activity.
#4: When compared with men, women consumed fruits and vegetables more frequently and in a greater quantity. Experts opine that women, compared to men, are more health conscious or more likely to be vegan.
The investigators of the study tried to estimate the connection between the intake of fruits and vegetables and mental well-being in terms of frequency and quantity. They found a positive and statistically significant connection.
The frequency of the intake of fruits and vegetables was associated with higher mental well-being. The effect was slightly stronger for veggies than fruits. The quantity of the intake also had a positive association with mental well-being. So, the bottom line is to add fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. Although the above findings do not prove the exact causation, they do suggest that eating fruits and vegetables boosts mental health. Plus, eating them is a lot easier and less time-consuming. And unlike medicines, vegetables and fruits do not have side effects.
