Randomized controlled trials investigate diet and psychological well-being.
“Psychological health can be broadly conceptualized to include two important elements: mental health (i.e. the presence of a lack of mental health disorders such as depression) and psychological well-being (i.e. the presence of a lack of positive psychological states beyond the lack of mental health disorders), and “the advantages of high happiness, such as improved blood pressure, immune capacity, longevity, career success, and satisfaction with personal relationships.”
What is the title of the chronicle of nutrition and metabolism article, “The contribution of food consumption to happiness”? The research is linked to “enhancing happiness in fruit and vegetable consumption.” A systematic review of the study found evidence that fruit and vegetable intake is “associated with increased psychological well-being.” Association only?
“There is a well-known criticism in this field of research: diet is merely correlated, but incorrectly, helping to induce levels of happiness, as deep personality and family development can simultaneously lead people to eat in a healthy way and to improve their mental well-being.” However, a recent study circumvented this issue by examining whether “changes in diet are correlated with changes in mental well-being.” At 1:37 for my video fruits and vegetables, I started eating more fruits and vegetables, so at 1:37 for my video fruits and vegetables, the change in life satisfaction started to increase straight over time.
“Increased fruit and vegetable consumption predicted an increase in happiness, satisfaction with life, and happiness. They were satisfied with a life up to 0.24 (for an increase of 8 parts per day), which is the size equal to the psychological benefits from unemployment to employment.” (My daily recommendation is at least one day of at least nine fruits and vegetables.)
The study was conducted in Australia. Repeated in the UK, researchers have found the same results, but Brits may need to increase their daily minimum consumption of fruits and vegetables to 10 or 11 glasses a day.
As the researchers asked in the title of the paper, “Does eating fruits and vegetables also reduce the longitudinal risk of depression and anxiety?” Improved happiness is great, but “government and healthcare authorities are often interested in the determinants of major mental unhealthy conditions, such as depression and high levels of anxiety. And in fact, instead of using the same data set, they are looking for mental illness, the researchers have found that “eating fruits and vegetables can help protect against future risks of clinical depression and anxiety.”
A systematic review and meta-analysis of dozens of studies “are an inverse linear association between fruit or vegetable intake and the risk of depression, which has led to a 3% reduction in the risk of depression for every 100 grams of increased fruit intake. However, “less than 10% of most Western populations consume appropriate levels of fruit and dietary fiber, as typical intake is about half the recommended level.” Perhaps the problem is that they are telling people about the long-term benefits of fruit intake for preventing chronic disease, rather than almost media improvements in happiness. Perhaps we should promote the benefits of “happiness.” Perhaps, however, you need to first make sure they are authentic.
We’ve been talking about the association. Yes, “While a healthy diet may reduce the risk of future depression and anxiety, today’s depression and anxiety can lead to lower future fruit and vegetable intake.” Currently, these studies can really show that an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption has come first.
Testing in interventional studies is necessary to prove cause and effect. Unfortunately, so far, many studies have compared fruit with chocolate and chips. In fact, participants randomized to eat fruit showed significant improvements in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and emotional distress, which is surprising, but it was compared to chocolate and potato chips as shown below and at 4:26 in my video. Apples, clementines and bananas help to feel better than a variety of potato chips or thick chocolate wafers.
This is a kind of research I’ve been waiting for. This is a randomized controlled trial in which young adults are randomized into one of three groups. We encouraged the regular group, the group that encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables, or to eat two fruits and vegetables a day in addition to our regular diet. The third group of people showed improvement, prosperity and motivation in their psychological well-being within just two weeks.” But simply educating people to eat fruits and vegetables may not be enough, so perhaps the emphasis should be placed on providing people with fresh produce. I know it would certainly make me happy!
