Mind & Mood
A balanced approach to eating may be best for brain health
In the journals
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
A new observational study suggests that when it comes to diet and brain health, a balanced approach to healthy eating may be best for the brain.
Researchers used an online questionnaire to collect dietary information for almost 182,000 people. They used various evaluation methods to collect data about participants' brain health, including cognitive function tests, blood metabolic biomarkers, and brain MRI. Mental health evaluations measured anxiety levels and depressive symptoms.
The researchers found that most participants followed one of four eating patterns:
1. High amounts of fruits (fresh or dried), vegetables, and animal-based protein (fatty fish, chicken, beef); moderate amounts of dairy; and low amounts of starches (cereal, bread) and processed foods.
2. Vegetarian or plant-based: high amounts of fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts of starches and dairy, and minimal animal-based protein.
3. High amounts of animal-based protein and processed foods; low amounts of fruits and vegetables.
4. Balanced: moderate amounts of fruits, vegetables, animal-based protein, and dairy, and low amounts of starches and processed foods.
Those who followed the balanced dietary pattern had the fewest mental health issues and the highest scores for cognitive functions compared with the other eating patterns. The balanced eaters generally followed an everything-in-moderation approach. They ate good amounts of healthy protein foods, vegetables, fruits, and dairy, but also enjoyed smaller amounts of bread, cereal, processed foods, and even occasional alcoholic beverages. The study was published in the May 2024 issue of Nature Mental Health.
Image: © Solskin /Getty Images
About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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