The Mediterranean diet is known to prevent against heart disease and is hailed as the secret to a long, healthy life. Now, researchers have found the can help people with depression, too.
A study found people who followed the diet were happier, less stressed and reported an improved quality of life compared to those who ate fewer Mediterranean foods.
As part of the study, Australian researchers recruited a total of 82 adults with depression, aged between 18 -65.
They assessed their mental health and quality of life using two official scales: the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS).
They then assessed how strongly they followed the Mediterranean diet through a 14-item questionnaire.
The study's lead author, Dr Natalie Parletta, of the University of South Australia, said there was a strong link between the Mediterranean diet and lower scores for mental illness.
This was despite the fact it was a study of people with depression, who tended to have poor diets in the first place.
She told MailOnline: 'What we found is that poor diet is predicting the onset of depression.'
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Category(s):Anxiety, Eating Disorders, Stress Management
Source material from Daily Mail
