The study collected data from more than 3,300 adults in Iran. They were asked about eating habits, physical exercise, tobacco consumption, obesity and the presence of psychological stress by completing a series of questionnaires. They were also evaluated for the presence of anxiety and depression with a self-report instrument.
The results of the study, published recently in the journal PLoS ONE (2016), showed that in middle-aged Iranians, those with a healthier lifestyle profile (described using the indicators mentioned above) were 95% less likely to of suffering from anxiety and 96% less likely to be depressed , compared to those who scored lower in healthy lifestyle. In fact, one of the most important factors in this relationship seemed to be the fact of suffering lower levels of psychological stress , at least it seems that its impact was greater than that of eating a healthy diet (people who ate a healthier diet reduced the probability of depression by 29%).
The authors conclude that adults who do not smoke have low levels of psychological stress and who eat a healthy diet (more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and foods with more polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-3s, among other traits) they have fewer options for depression and anxiety disorders . Although suffering from these types of mental health problems may be partly determined by genes, it seems that the way we behave may also play an important role. It would be interesting that in order to complete this study, the risk of suffering from other problems such as cognitive impairment was also assessed . Other studies may help to know what we can do to take care of our mental health as well as on a physical level.
Marisa Fernández is a Senior Neuropsychologist at Unobrain.
