Assessment of dietary factors, dietary practices and exercise on mental distress in young adults versus matured adults: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

The importance of the diet in modulating mental health is uncovering as many dietary factors have been described to alter brain chemistry. Brain maturation may not complete until the age of 30 which may explain the differential emotional control, mindset, and resilience between young adults and matured adults. As a result, dietary factors may influence mental health differently in these two populations.

Objectives: To study dietary intake, dietary practices and exercise in young adults (YA) (18–29 years) versus matured adults (MA) (30 years and older) in relation to mental distress. Another aim was to assess whether mental well-being potentially stimulates healthy eating, healthy practices, and exercising.

Methods: An anonymous internet-based survey was sent through social media platforms to different professional and social group networks. Best-fit models were constructed using the backward regression analysis to assess the relationship between dietary variables, exercise, and mental distress in YA versus MA.

Results: YA mood seems to be dependent on food that increases availability of neurotransmitter precursors and concentrations in the brain (such as frequent meat consumption and exercise, respectively). However, MA mood may be more reliant on food that increases availability of antioxidants (fruits) and abstinence of food that inappropriately activates the sympathetic nervous system (coffee, high glycemic index, and skipping breakfast).

Discussion and conclusion: Level of brain maturation and age-related changes in brain morphology and functions may necessitate dietary adjustments for improving mental well-being.

Keywords:

• Diet
• Dietary practice
• Mental distress
• Mood
• Mental well-being
• Young adults
• Mature adults
• Exercise

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Gale Spencer for her time in reviewing the manuscript.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors Lina Begdache designed the study and wrote the manuscript, Maher Chaar carried out the experimental work, Nasim Sabounchi and Hamed Kianmehr analyzed the data.

Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Conflicts of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval None.

ORCID

Lina Begdache http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5213-6979

Maher Chaar http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3961-2982

Nasim Sabounchi http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8027-8779

Hamed Kianmehr http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7024-7864