HSYP 808: Nutrition, Mental Health and Young Adults: A Report

This report investigates the relationship between poor nutrition and altered mental states in young adults, synthesizing findings from multiple research papers. It explores how nutrient deficiencies, including those of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, can negatively impact mental health, potentially leading to conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and cognitive impairments. The report also examines strategies to address malnutrition, such as educational campaigns and policy changes. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet for maintaining mental well-being and highlights the adverse effects of poor nutrition on brain function and overall health. This analysis is based on a comprehensive review of available literature and aims to provide a coherent picture of the topic, identifying research gaps and offering conclusions regarding the study question.

Running Head: NUTRITION 0
Is there a relationship between poor nutrition and altered mental states in young adults?
student
10/7/2019

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Poor nutrition and altered mental health....................................................................................................3
Deficiency of Nutrients............................................................................................................................4
Strategies to overcome issues.................................................................................................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................7
References...................................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Nutrition is the consumptions of food, essential for the dietary needs of the body. Nutrition plays
a key role in the growth of the human body. Good nutrition is the proper, well-balanced diet
mixed with regular physical activity. Malnutrition or poor nutrition can affect the human body
negatively and results in reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to different diseases,
abnormal physical and mental development, and decreased productivity. [1] Majority of
researchers provided evidence associated with mental health concentrate on depression other
issues like cognitive function, and dementia, and restricted evidence is obtainable about other
mental disorders counting schizophrenia. [8] As human life span is increasing, the additional the
prevalence of psychological disorders is, the more responsiveness rises. Food insecurity co-
occurs with certain mental health issues like depression, suicide thoughts and substance use
issues in young adults. They also suggested that reducing food insecurities in early life period
can reduce the mental health issues. [2]
Inclusion Exclusion
 Stated relationship between poor
nutrition and altered mental states in
young adults.
 Ways to overcome issues of poor
nutrition.
 Cost analysis studies, not comparing
costs and outcomes of interventions.
 Data gathered in context of Australia.
 Not economic evaluation studies,
health or financial expenditures.

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Poor nutrition and altered mental health
Chronic food shortages affect around 792 million individuals in the world. Malnutrition directly
or indirectly impacts a range of organ systems counting the central nervous system (CNS). There
are different nutritional situations are comprised in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD)
investigations, for example, protein-energy malnutrition, deficiency of iodine, deficiency of
vitamin A, and iron deficiency. More than 15 per cent of the disability-adjusted life years
(DALYs) lost internationally is projected to be from malnutrition. [13]
Herbison et al reported that Low intake of vitamin B shows a relationship with the poor
psychological health across teenage years. [4] They revealed that low consumption of fruits and
vegetables is the identified risk factor that is subsidizing to the increasing global burden of non-
communicable disorder. Huang et al conducted a study on the effects of malnutrition in early life
are associated with mental health problems. [5] They also revealed that there is a long term
impact of prenatal exposure to the malnutrition on the risk of schizophrenia among young adults.
Although they reported that further research is needed. Maternal nutrition during the pregnancy
is recognized as the key role player in the health of both offspring and the mother. [6] Jacka et al,
also conducted a prospective study on the quality of diet and its connection with the mental
health outcomes in adolescents. They revealed that a poor diet can negatively affect people at a
young age. [7] Rosario O’Sullivan et al, identified that the individuals consume a good quality
breakfast is can improve their mental health and decrease the chances of mental health problems
like depression among young adults. They also revealed that most of the people consume low-
quality breakfast and focuses only on eating or skipping it, rather than having nutrient-rich
breakfast. [12] The adolescent consumes healthy breakfast daily experiences low levels of stress

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and depression in their lives. It has been recognised and studied by different researchers that
skipping breakfast is associated with poor physical and mental health. [9]
Deficiency of Nutrients
Different types of the nutrient can affect the mental health of individuals positively and their
deficiency can negatively affect both physical and mental health. [21] For example
carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, copper, zinc, selenium, manganese etc. carbohydrates
contain starches, commonly occurring and refined sugars, and the dietary fibres. Carbohydrates
can considerable affects an individual’s mood and behaviour. [19] Consuming a meal with high
carbohydrates stimulates the discharge of insulin hormone in the human body. [3] This particular
hormone helps in the let blood sugar in the body cells where it is used to produce energy, but it
also has different effects on the body. When the level of insulin rises, more amount of tryptophan
reaches to the brain. Tryptophan is the amino acid or recognised as the building block of the
protein, that impacts the neurotransmitter levels in the human brain.[2] As more the tryptophan
reaches to the brain, more production of neurotransmitters serotonin takes place. Increased levels
of serotonin in the human brain improved mood and cause a sedative impact, this promote
sleepiness [25]. Another nutrient that is important better mental health is protein. Protein is
made-up of the several amino acids join together in different sequences and amounts. Some of
the amino acids are produced inside the human body and some of them must be taken from the
diet. This type of amino acids is called essential amino acid. [17] The consumption of protein
and particular amino acids can impact the normal functioning of the brain and mental health of
individuals. Different neurotransmitters are made up of amino acids, for example, dopamine
neurotransmitter is composed of tyrosine amino acid. [20] This required amino acid is not

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available in the body, the neurotransmitter levels in the brain drops and leads to abnormal
functioning of the brain. For example deficiency of tryptophan in the human body, reduce the
production of serotonin, and this reduced levels later results in the low mood and aggression.
Similarly, in some diseases, the build-up of amino acid in the blood vessels results in brain
damage and mental defects. Thiamine or vitamin B deficiency is associated with the metabolism
of glucose or blood sugar. [18] People with low levels of thiamine can develop different brain
issues like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome which is identified by different symptoms such as
confusion, mental changes, impaired movement of eyes, and unsteadiness that can result in
serious memory loss. The deficiency of the vitamin is associated with irreversible nerve
impairment, dementia, and brain atrophy. Some of the research studies identified that lack of
folic acid in the brain can cause mental disorder like depression and lower levels of serotonin.
[14] Niacin is responsible for the releasing energy in the human body after the metabolism of
carbohydrates, fats and protein. Its deficiency can cause pellagra which is recognised with other
health issues like dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia, psychosis, delirium, coma or even death. It has
been investigated by different researchers that iron deficiency is also associated with different
mental health issues like permanent brain damage. [10]
In addition to the risk of emerging coronary heart disease, malnutrition in early life can also
cause diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. [24] There is presently several studies have
reported about the long-term opposing impacts on the intellectual capability of children
experienced malnutrition. [11] It is procedurally difficult, however, to distinguish the biological
impacts of overall malnutrition and adverse environmental situated on a kid’s cognitive abilities.
It is also procedurally difficult to distinguish the impacts of common malnutrition from the
impacts of micronutrient insufficiencies, for example, deficiency of iodine during pregnancy and

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deficiency of iron in babyhood, which can also affect mental and physical status. [15] Children
experience Malnutrition often face a lack of energy, which ultimately makes the child, less
curious and interested in playing games and communicate less with people around them. This
ultimately results in physical, mental, and cognitive impairment. Long-standing and temporary
intake of high saturated fatty nourishments throughout adulthood creates a sensitized
inflammatory type of phenotype, through a glucocorticoid increase, in the hippocampus part of
the brain, resulting in vulnerabilities associated with learning and memory. [23] Omega-3 and
the omega-6 PUFA imbalance can cause neurodevelopmental complaints by changing microglial
initiation leading to irregular creation of neuronal complexes and activity. Lastly, the intake of
fruits and a variety of vegetables with a high amount of polyphenolics can stop and converse
age-associated cognitive deficits by dropping oxidative stress. [16]
Strategies to overcome issues
There are different strategies can be used to address the issues of malnutrition among children
and pregnant women to reduce its impacts in later life in mental health. The health care providers
can initiate a campaign in the less developed communities to educate people about the
importance of nutrition and how its deficiency can affect their children. [22] The local and
national government can develop strict policies to provide a healthy diet to the children and
mother in the pregnancy period so that the problems can be reduced from the roots [23].

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Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that the lack of poor nutrition consumption can cause a different
type of mental health issues. Deficiency of iron, iodine, vitamins, minerals, protein,
carbohydrates etc. cause trigger brain impairment and cause schizophrenia, mood disorder,
sleeplessness, dementia, psychosis, delirium etc. in the young adults. The issues of nutrition
deficiency can be reduced by making policies and educating people about the importance of
nutrition.

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