After oneunhealthy mealWe usually don't feel particularly good. Do you know that too? You may feel sluggish, sleepy, or even grumpy because of the unhealthy decision you just made. However, new research suggests that aunhealthy diet in the long termmore serious consequences for youwell-being- and it's not just your weight or physical appearance that can influence your diet.
To test whether adjusting diet can improve mood in men and women aged 30 and over, askedResearchers from Binghamton University the study participantsto fill out a questionnaire about their eating habits and mood. Using multivariable analysis, their results, published in May 2021, showedJournal of Personalized Medicinepublished an unsurprising connection between a healthy diet and a positive mood. However, the researchers also discovered a significant oneConnection between unhealthy diet and bad mood, particularly among female study participants.
“We found that with unhealthy eating patterns, theLevel of psychological distress was higher in womenthan in men,” said Lina Begdache, an assistant professor of health and wellness studies at Binghamton University and the study’s lead author.
Not allunhealthy eating habitsare the same when it comes to mental health – someFood and drinks were more potent with bad mood tied togetheras other.
“Fast food, skipping breakfast, caffeine and high glycemic foods are all linked to psychological distress in mature women,” explained Begdache.
On the other hand, the study authors found that “fruits and dark green leafy vegetables are associated with psychological well-being.”
That said, just because your diet isn't ideal doesn't mean you should necessarily end up in an emotional crisis. The study authors found that one particular healthy habit could help reduce the risk of unhealthy eating affecting your mental health. “The additional information we learned from this study is that exercise significantly reduces the negative association of high-glycemic eating and fast food with psychological stress,” Begdache said.
Reference:J Pers Med. 2021Customization of Diet May Promote Exercise and Improve Mental Wellbeing in Mature Adults: The Role of Exercise as a Mediator Lina Begdache, Cara M Patrissy
