Abstract
Mental ill health is currently one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide. A growing body of data has emerged supporting the role of diet, especially polyphenols, which have anxiolytic and antidepressant-like properties. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a high polyphenol diet (HPD) compared to a low polyphenol diet (LPD) on aspects of psychological well-being in the Polyphenol Intervention Trial (PPhIT). Ninety-nine mildly hypertensive participants aged 40–65 years were enrolled in a four-week LPD washout period and then randomised to either an LPD or an HPD for eight weeks. Both at baseline and the end of intervention, participants’ lifestyle and psychological well-being were assessed. The participants in the HPD group reported a decrease in depressive symptoms, as assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and an improvement in physical component and mental health component scores as assessed with 36-Item Short Form Survey. No differences in anxiety, stress, self-esteem or body image perception were observed. In summary, the study findings suggest that the adoption of a polyphenol-rich diet could potentially lead to beneficial effects including a reduction in depressive symptoms and improvements in general mental health status and physical health in hypertensive participants.
Highlights
Mental ill health, manifesting itself in a wide range of conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress [1], represents one of the leading causes of burden of disease worldwide, substantially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer [2,3,4] and adversely affecting quality of life (QoL), relationships and the ability to work [5]
The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a polyphenol-rich dietary pattern in comparison to a control diet on aspects of psychological well-being and mental health status including mood, QoL, body image perception and self-esteem as secondary outcomes measured within the Polyphenol Intervention Trial (PPhIT) [30]
Given the high prevalence of mental health problems and the potential effect of dietary patterns on their onset and/or treatment, the aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a polyphenol-rich dietary pattern on aspects of psychological well-being or mental health status, including mood, self-esteem and body image perception, as secondary outcomes of the PPhIT study
Summary
Mental ill health, manifesting itself in a wide range of conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress [1], represents one of the leading causes of burden of disease worldwide, substantially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer [2,3,4] and adversely affecting quality of life (QoL), relationships and the ability to work [5]. Alongside genetic and biological factors, researchers have increasingly begun to examine the role. Nutrients 2020, 12, 2445 of lifestyle factors, including dietary intake, in the promotion of psychological well-being and the prevention of mental illness [7,8]. Studies that have explored potential associations between nutrient intake (namely carbohydrates, B vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamins C, E and polyphenols) or foods rich in these nutrients (e.g., fruits, vegetables, legumes, coffee, chocolate) and psychological well-being have produced conflicting results [9,10,11,12]. Polyphenols, in particular, have gained increasing attention from health researchers in recent years due to their biological properties, as well as their abundance within the human diet [13]
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