Are you a picky eater? It could be harming your brain

It’s important to note that the data only show an association with certain food preferences and mental health. For instance, it may be that people who prefer certain food groups have other characteristics that could affect mental health scores.

A link between food and brain health

The study adds to a growing body of research demonstrating the ways in which the food we eat may affect our brain health. High sugar, fatty diets – also known as a “Western diet” – have been associated with decreased cognitive performance. And a small study of Finnish men found a Western diet was associated with an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms. The Mediterranean Diet, high in fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil, has been linked with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The study’s results “demonstrate that specific food preferences have significant associations with mental health, cognitive functions, blood and metabolic biomarkers and brain imaging,” Rebecca MacPherson, an associate professor at Brock University in Ontario, Canada, who studies how exercise and diet can improve a person’s metabolism and brain health, said in an email.

“There is a clear need for more preclinical studies investigating the underlying mechanisms,” as well as the short and long-term effects different nutrients can have “on the progression of disease,” said MacPherson, who was not involved in the study.

The observational study has several limitations, the researchers said. Ruohan Zhang, a doctorate student at the University of Warwick and the lead author, said the data is based on preference for various foods, not what an individual actually consumed day-to-day. Participants in the UK Biobank are known to be comparatively healthier than the general population.

In the study, the researchers described a “balanced” diet as one that includes vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts, seeds, pulses, moderate dairy, eggs and fish. That’s “just a very, very healthy diet,” said Thomas M. Holland, a physician scientist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago who was not involved in the research. “We know that diet impacts not only global cognition but a lot of different domains, being semantic memory, episodic memory, working memory, perceptual speed.”

Washington Post