TRABAJO PRÁCTICO No 5

HONEST NUTRITION

Nutrition and mental health: Is there a link?

Diet influences numerous aspects of health, including weight, athletic performance,
and risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. According
to some research, it may affect mental health, too.

By Kelli McGrane, MS, RD on January 8, 2021 — Fact checked by Alexandra Sanfins, Ph.D.

Anxiety and depression are among the most common mental health conditions worldwide.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression could be one of the top health
concerns in the world by 2030.
Therefore, it is not surprising that researchers continue to search for new ways to reduce the
impact of mental health conditions, rather than relying on current therapies and medications.
Nutritional psychiatry is an emerging area of research specifically looking at the role of nutrition in
the development and treatment of mental health problems.
The two main questions that researchers are asking in relation to the role of nutrition in mental
health are, “Does diet help prevent mental health conditions?” and, “Are nutrition interventions
helpful in the treatment of these conditions?”

Preventing mental health conditions

Several observational studies have shown a link between overall diet

quality and the risk of depression.
For example, one review of 21 studies from 10 countries found that a healthful dietary pattern
characterized by high intakes of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, low fat dairy, and
antioxidants, as well as low intakes of animal foods — was associated with a reduced risk of
depression.
Conversely, a Western-style diet involving a very high intake of red and processed meats, refined
grains, sweets, high fat dairy products, butter, and potatoes, as well as a low intake of fruit and
vegetables - was linked with a significantly increased risk of depression.
More recently, a study looking at adults over the age of 50 years found a link between higher levels
of anxiety and diets high in saturated fat and added sugars. Interestingly, researchers have noted
similar findings in kids and teenagers.
For example, a 2019 review of 56 studies found an association between a high intake of healthful
foods, such as olive oil, fish, nuts, legumes, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, and a reduced
risk of depression during adolescence.
However, it is important to keep in mind that while observational studies can show an
association, they cannot prove cause and effect.

Treating mental health conditions

The research into whether dietary interventions can help treat mental health problems is relatively
new and still quite limited.
The SMILES trial was one of the first randomized controlled trials to examine the role of diet in the
treatment of depression. Over 12 weeks, 67 individuals with moderate or severe depression
received either dietary counseling or social support in addition to their current treatment.
The dietary intervention was similar to a Mediterranean diet, in that it emphasized vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, oily fish, extra virgin olive oil, legumes, and raw nuts. It also allowed for moderate
amounts of red meat and dairy.
At the end of the study, those in the diet group had significantly greater improvements in
depression symptoms.
Although these results seem promising, the SMILES study was a small, short-term study. As a
result, larger, longer term studies are necessary to apply its findings to a larger population.
Replicating the findings is important because not all research agrees with them. For instance, in a
MooDFOOD Investigators study which recruited 1,025 adults with overweight or obesity and at
least mild depressive symptoms, researchers investigated the impact of both a multinutrient
supplement and food-related behavioral activation on mental health outcomes. The scientists
found no significant difference in depressive episodes compared with a placebo after 12 months.

It is, therefore, difficult to draw solid conclusions from the existing body of research, particularly as
the type of dietary intervention under investigation has varied greatly among studies.
Overall, more research is needed on the topic of specific dietary patterns and the treatment of
mental health conditions. In particular, there is a need for a more standardized definition of a
healthful diet, as well as for larger, long-term studies.

Section A
 1. After analyzing all the signs that give you clues about the content of the
article (images, date, source, author(s), title, subtitles, typography,
numbers, transparent and repeated words) make predictions about it!
2. Read the text and check your predictions.
3. Read the text again and complete the following notes:

NOTES:

One of Top health concerns in the world by 2030:

Researchers Þ search for Þ ………………………………………………………………
Nutritional Psychiatry: ………………………………………………..………………………
..…….…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Preventing mental health conditions
…………………. Studies: link between ………………………………
Review 1 results: diet including ……………………………………..……………
ß
……………………………………….. of depression
Western-style diet ( ......................................................................................... )
ß
……………………………………….. of depression
Adults + 50 study (Diet ........................................ )
ß
…………………………………………………………..
2019 Review (Diet: ………………………………)
ß
…………………………………………………………..
Treating mental health conditions
Smiles trial: ®
®
®
MooDFOOD Investigators study: ®
®

Conclusions: ………………………………………………………………………….…………..
…………………………………………………………………………………..
Section B

B1. Conjunctions and Connectors: What type of relation/ function do the

conjunctions/connectors (underlined and in bold in the text) indicate? What
ideas do these words link? (In Spanish)

Conjunction/Con Function Ideas linked

nectors
Therefore

as well as

However

Although

because

Section C

Participants:

Remember?
Processes are the happenings or states of affairs represented in a clause. They are realized by verb
groups. Participants are those elements which denote who or what is directly involved in the
process. They are typically realized by noun groups. Circumstances provide additional, and
frequently optional, information regarding the, when, where, how, why, etc. and so on, of the
process. They are typically realized by adverb phrases and prepositional phrases.

C1. Read the PPT Noun Groups CII1 PSI 2023 in Material Extra.

C2. Which are the main participants that you can you find in the text?

C3. Which are the heads in the following noun groups taken from the previous text?
Circle them:
 • the impact of mental health conditions
• Several observational studies
• a low intake of fruit and vegetables
• social support
• depression symptoms
• 1,025 adults with overweight or obesity

Material diseñado por Mg. Candela Pérez Albizu para la Cátedra Capacitación en Idioma Inglés 1, FAHCE, UNLP