Poor diet link to rising cases of depression

Increasing rates of anxiety, depression and irritability could be due to a poor diet that lacks the essential chemicals to keep the brain healthy, according to a leading mental health charity.

A report out tomorrow describes the links between the less severe forms of mental disorder, such as anxiety, and the nation's increasing reliance on ready meals and processed food, which are heavy in pesticides, additives and harmful trans fats. Eating a diet without fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, pulses or nuts deprives the brain of the essential vitamins and nutrients needed to regulate it.

The report, 'Feeding Minds', was produced by the Mental Health Foundation and Sustain, two charities which are launching a campaign that argues that dietary changes could hold the key to combating problems such as depression and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children. Celebrity chef Antony Worrall-Thompson has also provided recipes for the charities that show how the ingredients can be combined to help combat the disorders.

Over the past 60 years, there has been a significant decline in the consumption of fruit and vegetables in the UK, with only 13 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women now eating at least five portions each day. The number of pesticides and additives in food has risen sharply over the same period.

The brain relies on a mixture of complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids (EFAs) - particularly Omega 3 and Omega 6 - vitamins and water to work properly. Highly processed food contains high levels of trans fats - unsaturated oils that have been refined - which can assume the same position in the brain as the EFAs, without delivering the proper nutrients.

Nutritional deficiency could seriously hamper the body's production of amino acids, which are vital to good psychological health. Neurotransmitters, made from amino acids, are chemicals which transmit nerve impulses between the brain cells.

Serotonin, a key neurotransmitter made by the amino acid tryptophan, helps to regulate feelings of contentment and anxiety, as well as playing a role in regulating depression. Many adults do not have sufficient levels of tryptophan because their intake of nuts, seeds and wholegrains is too low.