Depression Due to Diet Among Australian Youth

Mon, 10 Oct 2011

The diets of Australian youth are impacting on them at a very young age.

Australian youth are experiencing mental health problems very early on in life.

A study of 3,000 teenagers from Victoria found that the quality of food students ate can mean mental health problems later in life.

The worse their diet, the greater their chances of suffering mental health issues later in life.

In a report of the study, the researchers say depression is disproportionately evident in young people, with 13 being the average age when it initially occurs.

Depression and anxiety disorders are highly common mental disorders with adolescents and there is evidence that both are increasing.

Dr Jacka is a research fellow in Deakin's psychiatric research. She has been developing research programmes for the last six years as to how diets are associated with mental health problems.

With a team of other researchers, Dr Jacka analysed data from schools in the Barwon-South Western region.

The findings highlight a poor diet, minimal intake of fruit and veg, lack of exercise and participation in sport.

This has spun off into awareness raising of how a healthy lifestyle can aid your physical, mental, emotional and psychological wellbeing .
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