ArticleClinical nutrition ESPEN2022
Ultra-processed and fresh food consumption and symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID - 19 pandemic: COVID Inconfidentes.
Article in Clinical nutrition ESPEN, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 52 citations in OpenAlex.
- Association between junk food consumption and mental health problems in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.Nutrients · 2022Pooled it
- Systematic Literature Review of Functional Snacks: Bioactive Properties, Food Technologies, and Consumer Acceptance.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Examining the effects of two dietary intervention approaches on disordered eating-related thoughts and behaviors in adults with moderate to moderately severe depressive symptoms.Journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- From concept to measurement: initial validation of the Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Scale.Eating and weight disorders : EWD · 2026Article
- Ultra-processed food exposure and health outcomes: Current evidence, controversies, and future perspectives.EXCLI journal · 2026Review
- Observational
- Ultraprocessed Foods Associated With Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2025Article
- Food consumption associated with depression, anxiety and stress in students entering a public university.Journal of nutritional science · 2025Article
- Estimation of the nature and magnitude of mental distress in the population associated with ultra-processed food consumption.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Ultra-processed food consumption is linked to quality of life and mental distress among university students.PeerJ · 2025Article
- Psychological distress among university students during remote learning in Brazil: a multicenter online study.Sao Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina · 2025Article
- Food Consumption According to the NOVA Food Classification and Its Relationship with Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Women.Nutrients · 2024Article
- The Intersection of Ultra-Processed Foods, Neuropsychiatric Disorders, and Neurolaw: Implications for Criminal Justice.NeuroSci · 2024Article
- Article
- Nutritional Criminology: Why the Emerging Research on Ultra-Processed Food Matters to Health and Justice.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- An internet-based self-help intervention for the reduction of consumption of ultra-processed products and increase of physical activity in Mexican university population: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Article
- Beyond Plants: The Ultra-Processing of Global Diets Is Harming the Health of People, Places, and Planet.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Impact of Final Phase Social Isolation and the COVID-19 Pandemic on Eating Behavior, Sleep Quality, and Anxiety Level.Nutrients · 2023Article
- The Founder: Dispositional Greed, Showbiz, and the Commercial Determinants of Health.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND &
aimPsychological disorders are an important health problem worldwide. A healthy diet is recommended as one of the measures to prevent and control mental disorders. Epidemiological studies have shown important associations between the consumption of diets rich in nutrients and a lower risk of developing anxiety and depression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms and food consumption, according to the degree of processing, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
methodsAn epidemiological household survey was conducted in two cities in Brazil. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using validated scales (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item/Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and food consumption was assessed using a qualitative food frequency questionnaire referring to consumption within the last 3 months. The foods were categorized according to the NOVA classification for fresh/minimally processed food and ultra-processed food, using the average weekly consumption as the cutoff. For data analysis, adjusted Poisson regression with robust variance was utilized to estimate the prevalence ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI).
resultsThe consumption of fresh/minimally processed foods above the weekly average frequency was associated with a lower prevalence of symptoms of depression (PR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3; 0.7). Consumption above the weekly average of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher prevalence of anxiety (PR: 1.5 and 95% CI: 1.03; 2.3) and depression symptoms (PR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0; 2.1, P = 0.034).
conclusionIncreased consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a higher occurrence of anxiety and depression symptoms; therefore, we recommend an increase in the consumption of fresh/minimally processed foods, as endorsed by the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.