Western diets high in processed food and low in fresh fruit and vegetables are linked to emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents, according to a new study by Australia’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.
The study, published in the journal Preventative Medicine, was based on analysis of the diets of 1,600 14-year olds in Western Australia as part of the Raine Cohort Study, a long-running health research project begun in 1989.
“Our analysis found that higher levels of behaviour and emotional problems were associated with a more Western-style way of eating, namely a diet high in takeaway foods, red meat, confectionary, soft drinks, white bread and unrefined cereals,” said author of the report and head of nutrition studies at the Institute Dr Wendy Oddy.
“We also showed that these problems were less among teens with a more healthy style of eating, specifically those who ate more fruit and vegetables.
“This suggests that if we want to reduce the high rates of mental health problems among young people, then improving their overall diet could be a good place to start.”
Previous studies have shown one in five children develop some kind of mental health problem before they become adults, and half of adult mental problems develop during adolescence, according to a press release by the Institute.
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