Investigating the Role of Traditional Nutrition in the Mental and Social Health of Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: The proper nutrition and adequacy of the diet plan are necessary conditions for maintaining the health of children, especially in the school age, due to their greater vulnerability, forming a high percentage of the population, and higher effectiveness of health-treatment interventions. Not paying attention to such important issue can endanger the physical and mental health as well as the development of students, the treatment of which is difficult and sometimes impossible (Soheili, 2006, p. 344; Jacobson, 1977, p. 1051-1053; Walker, 1991, p. 1596-1579; and Pasdar et al., 2014, p. 541). In addition to being associated with the growth and development, diet can reduce or exacerbate some of the health problems associated with this age group such as bone health, tooth decay, eating disorders, obesity, constipation, malnutrition, and iron deficiency anemia (Soheili, 2007, p. 41-36; and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Materials and Methods:     The research method was correlational. The statistical population of this study included all mothers who lived in Raz and Jirgalan (North Khorasan) and had a high-school student (1139 people). The statistical sample size of this study was 290 individuals using Morgan Table. They were randomly selected using a classified sampling method with a certain volume. The information required in the present study was collected through the use of the nutrition questionnaire, the standard questionnaire of social and mental health as well as the interview technique and the use of secondary data. To process the data collected from the interviews and completed questionnaires, SPSS23 and LISREL8.01 statistical software and descriptive and analytical statistical tests such as Spearman correlation test, multivariate regression test, and one-way analysis of variance were used. Discussion of Results and Conclusions:     The results of the study showed a significant relationship between the maternal nutrition at home and the level of mental health, anxiety, social dysfunction, depression, participation, cohesion, acceptance and flourishing, and social adaptation of children. It was shown that 19 percent of changes in mental health and 25 percent of changes in social health can be explained by nutrition. In the structural equation model, the effect of nutritional variables on mental and social health components was confirmed. It can be concluded that the choice of food basket by the mother of the family has played an important role in reducing psychological and social disorders in the study population. To explain the research findings, it can be said that the health of people in the society is determined by a range of personal, economic, social, and environmental factors. Therefore, a correct understanding of the factors affecting this dimension can play an effective role in the growth of the society. The World Health Organization defines health in a broader sense than the physical health by defining a healthy person as a person who is physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually healthy. Therefore, by considering man as an organized and multidimensional whole, it can be said that all dimensions of human existence are related to each other and the change in one dimension of his existence may affect other dimensions. Since nutrition is the main factor affecting the health of the body, the type and style of nutrition are also important. In the dimensions of social health, since human beings are multidimensional beings, all the dimensions of our existence affect each other and are affected.  As the nutrition style could affect the physical and mental health, so it can affect other dimensions of this system. According to the definition of the World Health Organization, social health is one of the components of health and considering a systematic and general perspective of human beings, it can be said that people with physical and mental health can also have social health.