PENGUCAPAN AWAM (KOM3403)

TUGASAN 1:
RANGKA UCAPAN

DISEDIAKAN OLEH:
AINA KAMILIA BINTI NORAZLAN (201079)

DISEDIAKAN UNTUK:
DR AKMAR HAYATI AHMAD GHAZALI

TARIKH HANTAR:
15 OKTOBER 2019
Speech Frame (Topic: Food for thought)

INTRODUCTION

- Mental illness refers to all diagnosable mental disorders and health conditions
involving
i. Significant changes in thinking, emotion and/or behavior
ii. Distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities
(American Psychiatric Association, 2018)
- Common mental disorders consist of Depression, Bipolar Disorders, Eating
Disorders, Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)
- According to the 2015 National Health Morbidity Survey, 29% of the Malaysian
population as a whole suffered from depression and anxiety disorder, mental illness
is expected to be the second biggest health issue affecting Malaysians after heart
disease by 2020. (Roxanne, 2019)
Problems:
- Stigma and ignorance surrounding mental illness
- Typically connected to being an emotional-rooted issue
- Mental illness being a taboo among Asians - refuse to discuss about it openly
compared to western counterparts
Factors commonly associated to mental illness:
- violence (abuse, rape, assault, terrorism, harassment etc.)
- serious illness (disability, lack of motivation)
- persistent socio-economic and social pressure (financial difficulties, personal
problems, unemployment etc)
- separation (divorce, death of loved one, change of environment etc.)

CONTENT
Studies associated to the correlation between mental illness and nutrition:
- Nutritionist Carol Simontacchi (2000) conducted an experiment:
i. control group was allowed to continue eating as per usual
ii. test group was given healthy breakfast drink
iii. at the end of Week 4, students took mood and cognition test
 iv. the mood test ( Profile of Mood States, POMS) shows astounding positive
results for test group
v. cognitive abilities of test group students slightly improved, following pattern of
previous studies.
- One study looked at 166 people who were clinically depressed, some being treated
with medication. The researchers found that after 12 weeks of eating a modified
Mediterranean diet, the participants’ symptoms were significantly better. (Jacka et
al., 2018)

- Protein: supplies essential and non essential amino acid to derive serotonin, a
calming neurotransmitter and dopamine, neurotransmitter that gives the feeling of
pleasure.
- Minerals and vitamins: acts as cofactors to transform these amino acids and fats to
respective hormones
- Iron: the body does not need much, but studies have shown that iron-deficient kids
have difficulty paying attention and are uncoordinated (Andraca, Castillo & Walter,
1997; Evans, 1985)
- Low iron lowers the production of key energy enzymes and neurotransmitters
involved include noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine; a deficiency in these
neurotransmitters can cause depression or any other mood disorders. (Parks Y.A &
Wharton B.A., 1989)
- Magnesium: people with low stores of magnesium are often sensitive people, easily
thrown into emotional states like anger, depression, frustration, agitation or fears.
- Zinc: zinc deficiency can cause frequent headaches, confusion, poor memory, and
indecisiveness
- At least five studies have shown that zinc levels are lower in those with clinical
depression (Levenson C. W., 2006)
- Omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the blood has been associated with major
depressive disorder and ADHD (Mikirova N, Casciari J & Hunninghake R., 2013)
- Problem is not confined to the damage caused by what they are eating. It is
compounded by the good foods they do not eat- bad supplants the good.
(Simontacchi C., 2000)
CLOSURE
Ways to overcome:
- Refer mentally ill patients to dieticians
- Have nutritionists advocate on good health in schools and other learning institutions
- The public should practice a healthier lifestyle for overall good health
- The government should invest money on
i. supplements
ii. healthy living schemes and subsidies (eg: Health Promotion Board in Singapore)
REFERENCE LIST

1. American Psychiatric Association (2018). What Is Mental Illness?. Retrieved from

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness

2. Andraca ID, Castillo M & Walter T. (1997). Psychomotor development and

behavior in iron-deficient anemic infants. Nutrition Review 55, 125-32

3. Evans DI (1985) Cerebral function in iron deficiency: A review/. Child Care Health
Developments II, no.3: 105-12

4. Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R., Itsiopoulos, C., Cotton, S., Mohebbi, M., … Berk,
M. (2018). Correction to: A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for
adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Medicine, 16(1). doi:
10.1186/s12916-018-1220-6

5. Levenson, C. W. (2006). Zinc: The New Antidepressant? Nutrition Reviews, 64(1),

39–42. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2006.tb00171.x

6. Mikirova N, Casciari J & Hunninghake R. (2013). The Orthomolecular Correction

of Metabolic Imbalances Found in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A
Retrospective Analysis in an Outpatient Clinic. 28(2):1–10.

7. Parks Y.A. & Wharton B.A. (1989). Iron deficiency and the brain. Acta Paediatrics
Scandandavia Supply 361, 71-7
8. Roxanne (2019, June 17). Light at the end of mental illness tunnel. The Star.
Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2019/06/17/light-at-end-
of-mental-illness-tunnel
9. Simontacchi, C. (n.d.). The crazy makers: how the food industry is destroying our
brains and harming our children. Tarcher.