Depression is a common mental health condition that has steadily risen over the past several years. The pandemic saw the rates of depression triple in early 2020, in the US, from 8.5% to 27.8 %, as the Boston University School of Public Health found. This number rose to 32.8 %, roughly 1 in every 3 American adults.
In late 2021 a longitudinal study published in The Lancet found that pandemic-related stressors, including economic stress, isolation, and experiencing multiple stressors from the pandemic simultaneously, were all contributing factors to the increased rates of depression.
While there is much speculation, it is currently unknown when the pandemic will end and what our lives will look like in a post-pandemic world. Waiting for the impact of the pandemic to disappear is not an effective tool to address the rising mental health crisis.
It has never been more critical to address the factors that support our mental health.
Food and Mood
When I started writing about the connection between food and mental health, it was still referred to as emerging research. There had been a few ground-breaking studies, such as the SMILES Trial from the Centre for Food and Mood at Deakin University. Published in 2017, several studies have followed.
The SMILES Trial – Supporting the Modification of lifestyle in Lowered Emotional States
More recently, in June 2022, another study out of Australia examined the effect of following a Mediterranean diet on the depressive symptoms of young Australian men. Like the SMILES study, the control for this study was social support in the form of a ‘befriending’ program.
One group received dietary advice in line with the Mediterranean diet, based on the dietary guidelines of Greece and Spain. The other group received befriending social support.
The findings
Participants in the dietary advice group experienced decreased symptoms of depression, and increased feelings of quality of life, for those who followed the Mediterranean dietary patterns.
Where to from here?
Supporting mental health should not be limited to those who are unwell. The past two and a half years have taught us that circumstances outside our control can pressure our mental health.
Using the tools at our disposal to strengthen and support mental health can not only aid those experiencing symptoms like depression but as a preventative for everyone living in this age of heightened stress and uncertainty.
And an excellent place to start is with food. Simple dietary changes can be an effective tool in supporting mental well-being and reducing the impact of the growing disease burden of depression.
If you would like to learn more about how to support mental wellbeing with food and nutrition for you, a client you support, or your workplace, book a Connection Call with me HERE. There is no article, post, or website that will ever get us quicker to a solution then a conversation.
References:
Boston University: Depression Rates in US Tripled When the Pandemic First Hit—Now, They’re Even Worse
British Medical Journal: The covid-19 pandemic will end with public health tools, not clinical ones
The Guardian: Is the Covid pandemic finally nearing its end?
Learn more about how to support wellbeing with food and nutrition by booking a 15-minute connection call. This is not a coaching call and there are no services for sale. It’s an opportunity to get to the core of what you’re looking for, and learn what the best first steps might be.
Sleep
How’s your sleep? This is always one of the first questions I ask my clients. If you would like to learn more about how sleep can impact mental health, your relationship with food, and learn a great technique for getting better sleep, download the Discover How To Create Sleep Habits To Support Mood & Energy in 3 Simple Steps.
Hi! My name is Kristine Peter and I’m a Nutritionist (ANutr, NRN) and Nutrition Educator (MEd).
I help my clients improve their mood, energy & enhance their health and well-being. So they can regain their vitality, get back to exercise, reduce stress & be themselves again without spending countless hours in the kitchen or following restrictive diets & meal plans that don’t work or fit their lifestyle.
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