Lee Alyona G, Vargas Shielene B, Ali Jasmin M, Ulloa-Franco Pamela, Biegel Steven H, Omozee Sylvia O, Halawa Amani J, Frison Aleah C, Jackson Kierra N, Sanchez Gabriella N, Anand Supriya, Bouchelkia Iman, Starks Steven M
College of Medicine, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
Psychiatry, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
Cureus. 2025 Aug 11;17(8):e89846. doi: 10.7759/cureus.89846. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Plant-based diets are increasingly recognized for their potential benefits on gut microbiota and mental health. This systematic review examines the impact of vegan or strictly plant-based diets (encompassing both whole-food and processed plant-based dietary patterns) on anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycInfo were searched for studies published after 2015. Inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed research measuring mental health outcomes in participants adhering to plant-based diets. Non-peer-reviewed studies and those lacking essential clinical data were excluded. A total of 560 articles were identified through database searches, and after removing duplicates, 513 articles were screened, with 13 meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies involved 8,110 participants (2,336 plant-based; 5,774 control). Study designs included observational studies, one prospective study, and one randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants following plant-based diets showed mental health benefits, including reduced anxiety, depression, and healthier eating behaviors. Diets high in fiber and antioxidants were linked to lower stress, while processed plant-based diets were associated with worsened mood symptoms. Risks of orthorexia nervosa were noted among individuals adopting vegan diets for health reasons, whereas ethical motivations appeared to be protective. Plant-based diets appear to improve anxiety, depression, and eating behaviors, but potential links to disordered eating warrant further research. Variations in study design and inconsistent mental health reporting highlight the need for more randomized controlled trials related to this topic.
植物性饮食因其对肠道微生物群和心理健康的潜在益处而日益受到认可。本系统评价探讨了纯素或严格的植物性饮食（包括全食物和加工植物性饮食模式）对焦虑、抑郁和饮食失调的影响。检索了PubMed、Scopus、CINAHL和PsycInfo中2015年后发表的研究。纳入标准侧重于对遵循植物性饮食的参与者进行心理健康结果测量的同行评审研究。排除非同行评审研究和缺乏基本临床数据的研究。通过数据库检索共识别出560篇文章，去除重复项后，筛选了513篇文章，其中13篇符合纳入标准。这些研究涉及8110名参与者（2336名植物性饮食者；5774名对照者）。研究设计包括观察性研究、一项前瞻性研究和一项随机对照试验（RCT）。遵循植物性饮食的参与者显示出心理健康益处，包括焦虑和抑郁减轻以及更健康的饮食行为。高纤维和抗氧化剂的饮食与较低的压力有关，而加工植物性饮食与情绪症状恶化有关。因健康原因采用纯素饮食的个体中存在神经性正食症的风险，而出于道德动机似乎具有保护作用。植物性饮食似乎能改善焦虑、抑郁和饮食行为，但与饮食失调的潜在联系值得进一步研究。研究设计的差异和心理健康报告的不一致凸显了对此主题进行更多随机对照试验的必要性。
