Ghernati Lamia, Tamim Hani, Chokor Fatima Al Zahraa, Taktouk Mandy, Assi Batoul, Nasreddine Lara, Elbejjani Martine
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon; Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon; College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Nutr Res. 2025 Jan;133:172-189. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.11.011. Epub 2024 Dec 9.
While low dietary quality has been linked to poor mental health, evidence on more direct relations of specific dietary quality indicators, namely degrees of food processing, with mental health disorders remains limited. This study aims to investigate the association between food groups' intakes, defined based on their degree of food processing, with depression and anxiety symptoms in a sample of Lebanese adults. We hypothesized that higher intakes of ultra-processed foods (UPF) will be related to higher risk of depression and anxiety while an opposite association will be observed for unprocessed or minimally processed foods (MPF). Data come from a Lebanese cross-sectional study (n = 188 adults). The NOVA classification was adopted for evaluating the intakes of the 4 food groups: unprocessed or minimally processed foods (MPF); processed culinary ingredients (PCI); processed foods (PF) and ultra-processed foods (UPF). Associations between food group intakes in quartiles with depression and anxiety symptoms were analyzed using multivariable regression analyses adjusted for several confounders. Median energy intake was 2481.65 (2617.2) kcal/d, with 36.12% of Total Energy Intakes coming from MPF, 29.71% from PF, 25.25% from UPF, and 5.75% from PCI. Among participants, 33% and 27.7% had elevated depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Higher PF intake was associated with significantly lower odds of both depression and anxiety symptoms while a higher UPF intake was associated with higher odds of depression. Results confirm the hypothesized links between UPF and adverse mental health outcomes and highlight the need for further studies on PF intakes and mental health given the culture-specific nature of foods constituting this group.
虽然低饮食质量与心理健康不佳有关，但关于特定饮食质量指标（即食品加工程度）与精神健康障碍更直接关系的证据仍然有限。本研究旨在调查基于食品加工程度定义的食物组摄入量与黎巴嫩成年人样本中抑郁和焦虑症状之间的关联。我们假设，超加工食品（UPF）摄入量较高将与抑郁和焦虑风险较高相关，而未加工或最低加工食品（MPF）则会呈现相反的关联。数据来自一项黎巴嫩横断面研究（n = 188名成年人）。采用NOVA分类法评估4个食物组的摄入量：未加工或最低加工食品（MPF）；加工烹饪原料（PCI）；加工食品（PF）和超加工食品（UPF）。使用针对几个混杂因素进行调整的多变量回归分析，分析四分位数中食物组摄入量与抑郁和焦虑症状之间的关联。中位能量摄入量为2481.65（2617.2）千卡/天，总能量摄入量的36.12%来自MPF，29.71%来自PF，25.25%来自UPF，5.75%来自PCI。在参与者中，分别有33%和27.7%的人有抑郁和焦虑症状加重的情况。较高的PF摄入量与抑郁和焦虑症状的几率显著降低相关，而较高的UPF摄入量与抑郁几率较高相关。结果证实了UPF与不良心理健康结果之间的假设联系，并强调鉴于构成该组食物的文化特异性，需要对PF摄入量和心理健康进行进一步研究。
