Healthy eating ‘can improve mental health in children’

Children who eat a healthy diet are likely to experience better mental health and wellbeing, according to a new study.

Research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg has analysed data from 7,675 children from eight European countries, finding that an improved diet was associated with better self-esteem and fewer emotional and peer problems.

Limiting intake of refined sugars, reducing fat intake and eating fruit and vegetables was shown to be linked with improved mental health regardless of children's body weight, while it was also indicated that better self-esteem made it more likely that youngsters would adhere to healthy eating guidelines.

Corresponding author Dr Louise Arvidsson said: "It was somewhat surprising to find that the association between baseline diet and better wellbeing two years later was independent of children's socioeconomic position and their body weight."

However, it was also noted that children with poor diet and poor wellbeing were more likely to drop out of the study, meaning they were underrepresented at the two-year follow-up. As such, further research is needed to verify the findings.

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