According to a press release issued by the University of Auckland in New Zealand, it is necessary for adolescents to make healthier food choices and to try and avoid options such as takeaways and foods that are rich and sugar in order to protect and preserve their mental health.
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University found that adolescents whose diets were composed mainly of junk food have lower mental scores than other members of the same age group who were on a healthy diet. The study wanted to examine the relationship between the quality of food intake and mental and emotional health. The test subjects were from ethically diverse populations across Auckland.
Prof. Boyd Swinburn, expert in population nutrition, said that, "this is part of a growing body of evidence suggesting that a diet of junk food might reduce mental well-being and that healthy food may improve mental well-being-although this will take clinical trials to demonstrate the effect with confidence. Both parts are important and independent of each other, so it is important to not only increase fruit and vegetable intake but also to reduce sugary drinks, takeaways, and unhealthy snacks."
Researchers recognize that adolescence is an important phase for psychological and physical growth. Each year, there is an estimated 20% of adolescents that develop to mental health disorders, so promoting mental health has to be given higher priority during this period to ensure that their mental well-being is nourished. In this part of the world, depression is the most dominant mental disorder that has crucial negative impacts on the emotional, social, and physical aspects of an adolescent's life. "Nutrition may have a vital role to play in mental health and the obesogenic food environment, which is driving the obesity epidemic, may also be part responsible for the epidemic of depression," added Prof. Swinburn.