Children’s low uptake of fruit and veg associated with poor mental well-being, study finds

08 Oct 2021 --- Children not consuming enough fruit and vegetables or skipping breakfast or lunch can experience a plight in their mental well-being, according to a UK study. The impact of these dietary deficiencies can be almost “as bad as witnessing regular arguing or violence at home,” leading researchers to call for urgent policy changes.

“Insufficient fruits and vegetables or having nothing to eat or drink for breakfast or lunch was associated with poorer mental well-being of the scale associated with daily arguing or violence at home,” Ailsa Welch, professor nutritional epidemiology at the University of East Anglia, tells NutritionInsight.

Good quality nutrition needs to be available to all children and young people to improve mental well-being and help them reach their full potential, she adds.

“We could encourage more funding for breakfast clubs, make sure that all children eligible for free school meals use them, and that these meals contain at least two portions of fruits or vegetables. To achieve this, these approaches need to be supported by school policies and public health strategies.”

Researchers are calling for a change in policy in light of the findings.Five-a-day goes a long way
The research, purporting to be the first of its kind, was carried out between the University of East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin University and Norfolk county council and was published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.

According to the study, secondary school students scored around 8% higher on their well-being if they ate five servings of fruit and vegetables daily, compared to their peers who ate none.

Consuming energy drinks as a sole breakfast item for secondary school students was also associated with an average 7% lower mental well-being scores compared to students who skipped breakfast altogether, the research notes. 

Only 25% of secondary students reported eating five fruits or vegetables a day while 10% ate none whatsoever.

For families where money is tight, “it’s good for parents to focus on vegetables as they give a broader range of vitamins and minerals than fruits. Vegetables can be any type – such as carrots, peas, tomatoes and cabbage type vegetables as well as salads,” Welch says, noting they can be either frozen or canned.

“Frozen vegetables are very good nutritionally and are usually cheaper than fresh vegetables, particularly in the winter. They are often frozen straight away after harvest, so they retain vitamins and minerals. Canned vegetables are also good value too, these days they mostly do not contain salt.”

It’s what you eat
Also important in the findings was the importance of breakfast and lunch. Secondary school children who had nothing for breakfast had an almost 6% lower well-being score than those who had a conventional breakfast such as cereal, toast or eggs.

“I was surprised at the number of children who reported eating no frSecondary school students scored around 8% higher on their well-being if they ate five fruit and vegetable servings daily.uits and vegetables and the number who had nothing to eat or drink before school and at lunchtimes. The survey was before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic too,” Welch says.

The researchers noted that though both groups of students had a poor intake of fruit and vegetables, more primary school children ate breakfast and lunch.

Out of 30 secondary school students, 21 will have consumed a conventional-type breakfast and at least four will have had nothing to eat or drink before going to school. At least three pupils will go to class without eating anything for lunch, the study notes. 

“This is of concern, and likely to affect not only academic performance at school but also growth and development if the nutritional deficit is not rectified,” it adds. 

Controlling for other factors
Children from over 50 schools participated in the Norfolk Children and Young People Health and Wellbeing Survey. The analysis looked at 1,253 primary school pupils aged 8-11 years and 7,570 secondary school pupils aged 12-18.

The research gathered information about students’ age, gender, health, living situation and adverse experiences (such as being bullied or experiencing arguing or violence at home), so these factors could be controlled for, and a link could be established between mental health and nutrition. 

The study noted that previous research confirmed the importance of nutrition to mental health with insufficient levels of magnesium, folate, and zinc linked to depression and long-chain as well as fatty acids with anxiety.

Where the industry is concerned, according to Innova Market Insights, NPD is seeing staggering growth and packaging claims that relate to specific mood platforms, with 44% of global consumers saying they are focusing on their mental and emotional well-being.

By Andria Kades