Food, mood and mental health
What we eat very much affects how we feel and our state of mind. The importance of eating enough food, and the right types of food, is clearly demonstrated by a study carried out by Keys et al back in 1950. In the study, 32 healthy male volunteers were put on a semi-starvation diet for three months. The diet included an intake of 1,600 calories per day and was high in carbohydrates, but low in protein and low in fat. In addition, the volunteers were asked to undertake lots of exercise over the course of the three months.
The findings of this study showed that the volunteers not only developed the physical changes that were expected with the restricted diet, but they also developed psychiatric symptoms similar to those of patients with eating disorders. This highlights that eating sufficient quantities of food, and the right foods, is essential for optimal mental health.
More recent research indicates that prolonged dieting may be a trigger for developing disordered eating patterns. This study by Keys backs up the idea that restrictive diets could indeed be a trigger in the development of disordered eating, as normal thought processes and mental health may become impaired.
If you suffer from disordered eating patterns, please do contact us to discuss your personal situation, or book a nutrition appointment to see us in one of our London clinics.
Julia
Tags: Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, eating disorder, eating disorders, mood swings
