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You are what you eat, say scientists

Food & Mental Health - Level 4

Scientists have looked at how our diet changes our mental health. What we eat affects our brain until we are 30. This explains why older adults are more emotionally stable. The lead researcher was a professor of health and wellness studies. She said people knew that diet affected diabetes, heart disease and obesity, but not that it affected our mental health. She suggested that mental well-being led to healthy eating and exercising.

The research was carried out anonymously. A survey was sent via professional and social networks. Researchers found that adults under 30 who ate fast food more than three times a week had higher levels of anxiety and depression. For adults over 30, eating less carbohydrates and more fruit reduced these conditions. The researchers said a Mediterranean diet was as good for our brain as for our body. It has things that are important for a healthy brain.

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Food & Mental Health - Level 5

Scientists have researched the effects our diet has on our mental health. They say what we eat affects and changes our brain up until the age of 30. This explains why older adults are more emotionally stable than under-30s. The research team was led by a professor of health and wellness studies. She said that people knew of the link between our diet and diabetes, heart disease and obesity, but we don't know so much about the influence our diet has on mental health. The researchers suggested that mental well-being led to healthy eating, healthy practices, and exercising.

The research was carried out anonymously via an Internet survey. It was sent to different professional and social networks. The study found that adults under 30 who ate fast food more than three times a week had higher levels of distress, anxiety and depression. For adults over 30, the study found that eating less carbohydrates and more fruit reduced these conditions. The researchers pointed to research showing how a Mediterranean diet was as good for our brain as for our body. They said: "It has all the components that are important for the healthy structure of the brain."

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Food & Mental Health - Level 6

Scientists have cast new light on the effects our diet has on our mental health. Researchers say what we eat affects and alters our brain chemistry up until the age of 30. They say this explains why older adults are more emotionally stable and resilient than under-30s. The research was conducted by a team led by Lina Begdache, a professor of health and wellness studies. Researchers said that while the link between our diet and diabetes, heart disease and obesity is well established, there is a paucity of research on the influence our dietary intake has on mental health. The researchers also suggested that mental well-being stimulated healthy eating, healthy practices, and exercising.

The research was carried out via an anonymous internet-based survey. It was sent through social media platforms to different professional and social group networks. Professor Begdache found that adults under 30 who ate fast food more than three times a week scored higher on levels of mental distress, anxiety and depression. She said that for adults over 30, the study found that eating less carbohydrates and more fruit reduced anxiety and depression. Begdache pointed to research showing how a Mediterranean diet was as good for our brain as for our body. She said: "It has all the components that are important for the healthy structure of the brain."

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson