Higher dietary fat quality is associated with lower anxiety score in women: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The relationship between anxiety and dietary fat quality (DFQ) has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between anxiety disorder and fatty acids' intake in women. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 300 women aged 18-49 attending healthcare centers. Dietary exposure was measured by a 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). To determine the status of anxiety, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) questionnaire was used. Based on the total score of anxiety, the participants were divided into two groups of without anxiety (< 8) and with anxiety (≥ 8). The relationship between fatty acids intake and odd ratio (OR) for anxiety was analyzed by simple logistic regression. Results: About 37.7% of individuals reported anxiety. After adjustment for covariates, an increase in the OR for anxiety was observed across the quintuples of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (OR 3.17; 95% CI 1.43-7.00; p-trend = 0.005). In addition, higher intakes of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) (OR 0.15; 95% CI 0.05-0.44; p-trend = 0.001), oleic acid (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.09-0.67; p-trend = 0.002), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (OR 0.07; 95% CI 0.02-0.23; p-trend < 0.001), and n-3:n-6 poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.24-1.03; p-trend = 0.02) were found to be related with lower OR of anxiety. Conclusion: Intake of SFAs was positively related to anxiety disorder, whereas MUFAs, oleic acid, ALA, and n-3: n-6 PUFAs intake were inversely related to anxiety score. For investigating the association of fat intake and anxiety disorder, DFQ may be a useful measure.

Western Diet Consumption During Development: Setting the Stage for Neurocognitive Dysfunction

“…In humans, a number of lifestyle factors are associated with anxiety, including diet. For instance, consumption of added sugars and saturated fat is associated with higher anxiety levels ( Masana et al, 2019 ; Fatemi et al, 2020 ), and evidence from carefully controlled rodent experiments suggests a causal relationship between diet and anxiety-like behavior. In rodents, anxiety-like behavior is assessed via measurable behavioral changes, including measures of exploration, hypoactivity, suppressed consumption of novel foods (neophagia), and fear-associated freezing behavior.…”

Contribution of ceramides metabolism in psychiatric disorders

“…Based on this, the brain is highly vulnerable to functional impairment from nutrient imbalances, influencing the development and progression of psychiatric disorders. Several reports have confirmed that excessive intake of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates promotes defective behaviors and susceptibility to mental disorders in both animal models and humans (Fatemi et al, 2020;Y. Li et al, 2022;Łojko et al, 2018;Quirk et al, 2013;Zemdegs et al, 2016).…”

The Association Between Dietary Changes to Lose Weight and Mental Health Status in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2006

“…In contrast, low-fat diets were found to be related to greater anger and hostility for humans aged 20-37 [16]. There also seems to be a difference in results based on the type of fat consumed—while saturated fatty acids are positively associated with anxiety [17], unsaturated fatty acids, such as α-linolenic acid, were correlated with reduced likelihood for anxiety and depression [17,18]. Lastly, a few studies found no association between the level of fat consumption and mental health status or mood [19,20].…”