Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40361567›Full record

ArticleFoods (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Associations Between Mediterranean Diet, Processed Food Consumption, and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: Cross-Sectional Study Among Israeli Adults.

Nourit Houminer-Klepar, Keren Dopelt

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
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  7. War, diet, and PTSD in Ukrainian youth.Scientific reports · 2025
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Nourit Houminer-KleparDepartment of Public Health, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78211, Israel.
Keren DopeltDepartment of Public Health, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78211, Israel.ORCID 0000-0003-4922-4155

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMental health disorders, particularly anxiety and depression, contribute significantly to the global disease burden. Growing evidence suggests that dietary patterns play a crucial role in mental health outcomes.

objectivesThis cross-sectional study examines the associations between adherence to a Mediterranean diet, processed food consumption, and symptoms of anxiety and depression among Israeli adults. Additionally, it investigates whether sleep quality mediates these relationships.

methodsA total of 303 participants completed an online survey assessing demographic variables, health-related behaviors, dietary patterns, sleep quality and duration, and mental health indicators.

resultsPearson correlations revealed significant associations between dietary patterns and mental health symptoms. Higher Mediterranean diet adherence was associated with lower anxiety and depression scores, whereas greater processed food consumption was linked to increased psychological distress. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that dietary patterns significantly predicted anxiety and depression symptoms, even after controlling for demographic and health-related factors. However, sleep quality did not mediate these relationships, suggesting independent effects of diet and sleep on mental health.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the potential of dietary modifications as a complementary approach to mental health management, though generalizability is limited by our predominantly female, Jewish Israeli sample studied during a period of conflict. Integrating nutritional assessments into mental health care could enhance treatment strategies. Future research should explore longitudinal and interventional approaches to establish causal relationships between diet quality and mental health outcomes. This study highlights the clinical and public health relevance of dietary assessment in mental health evaluations and supports the development of integrated, nutrition-informed interventions to enhance psychological well-being.

Indexed as

anxietycross-sectional studydepressionIsraelMediterranean dietprocessed foodsleep quality

Identifiers

PMID40361567
PMCPMC12071465

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