Changes to diets over
the last 50 years may be playing a key role in the rise
of mental illness, a study says.
Food campaigners Sustain and the Mental
Health Foundation say the way food is now produced has
altered the balance of key nutrients people consume.
The period has also seen the UK population
eating less fresh food and more saturated fats and sugars.
They say this is leading to depression
and memory problems, but food experts say the research
is not conclusive.
Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive
of the Mental Health Foundation, said: "We are well aware
of the effect of diet upon our physical health.
"But we are only just beginning to understand
how the brain as an organ is influenced by the nutrients
it derives from the foods we eat and how diets have an
impact on our mental health."
And he added that addressing mental health
problems with changes in diet was showing better results
in some cases than using drugs or counselling.
The report, Feeding Minds, pointed out
the delicate balance of minerals, vitamins and essential
fats consumed had changed in the past five decades.
Researchers said the proliferation of
industrialised farming had introduced pesticides and altered
the body fat composition of animals due to the diet they
are now fed.
For example, the report said chickens
reach their slaughter weight twice as fast as they did
30 years ago, increasing the fat content from 2% to 22%.
The diet has also altered the balance
of vital fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 in chickens which
the brain needs to ensure it functions properly.
Fats
In contrast, saturated fats, consumption
of which has been increasing with the boom in ready meals,
act to slow down the brain's working process.
The report said people were eating 34%
less vegetables and two-thirds less fish - the main source
of omega-3 fatty acids - than they were 50 years ago.
Such changes, the study said, could be
linked to depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Alzheimer's disease.
The two groups urged people to adopt
healthier diets, with more fresh vegetables, fruit and
fish, and called on the government to raise awareness
about the issue.
Report researcher Courtney Van de Weyer
said: "The good news is that the diet for a healthy mind
is the same as the diet for a healthy body.
"The bad news is that, unless there is
a radical overhaul of food and farming policies there
won't be healthy and nutritious foods available in the
future for people to eat."
Rebecca Foster, a nutrition scientist
at the British Nutrition Foundation, said: "The evidence
associating mental health and nutrient intake is in its
infancy, this is a very difficult association to research
and in many cases results are subjective.
"Therefore, it is difficult to draw conclusions
about the association between mental illness and dietary
intake at this point.
"However, the nutrient recommendations
outlined in this report are in line with recommendations
for good health, which should continue to be advocated
by all health professionals."
