An Australian study of more than 6,500 secondary school students found that each additional serving of fruit was associated with reduced risks of depressive and anxiety symptoms, while sugary drinks showed the opposite pattern.
An extra daily serving of fruit may lower the likelihood of depression and anxiety symptoms in teenagers, according to an Australian study that tracked more than 6,500 secondary school students over several years. The research, published in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and reported by the University of Sydney, suggests that everyday eating habits may be linked to young people’s mental wellbeing during a critical stage of development.
The study followed 6,537 students from 71 schools in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, with participants averaging about 12 and a half years old at the start. Researchers used repeated surveys to examine what students ate and how their mental health changed over time, while excluding those who already showed symptoms at the outset. That design was intended to test whether dietary patterns came before later emotional difficulties rather than merely co-existing with them.
According to the findings, each extra serving of fruit was associated with a 13% lower risk of depressive symptoms and a 7% lower risk of anxiety symptoms over the study period. Higher intake of sugar-sweetened drinks showed the opposite pattern, being linked to greater risks of both depression and anxiety. The association was seen in both boys and girls, although the link with anxiety appeared stronger among boys, the university said.
The researchers also considered factors such as age, sex, physical activity and socio-economic background, but the study was observational and cannot prove cause and effect. Diet was self-reported, which leaves room for error, and other family or lifestyle differences may also have influenced the results. Even so, the findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that access to nutritious food, school food environments and the affordability of healthy options may matter for adolescent wellbeing.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
