If you too hate fruits and veggies, then watch out as anxiety can knock you out anytime

There are endless reasons why you should eat fruits and vegetables on a regular basis and we have got you another one. Give this article a read to know more.
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The pangs of anxiety that may sometimes come from consuming excess coffee shall exist no more. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
IANS Updated: 12 May 2021, 05:48 am IST
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If you bite your nails too often and sleepless nights are giving you a hard time then watch out ladies as these might be the symptoms of anxiety. And for your mental well-being, we have to say this – that your eating habits are to be blamed. 

If you would have befriended fruits and vegetables then you could have stayed away from this traumatizing disorder. Nope, we aren’t kidding. In fact, science agrees with us too.  

A recent study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that those who consumed less than three sources of fruits and vegetables daily, there was at least at 24% higher odds of anxiety disorder diagnosis.

No fruits and veggies mean more inflammation – hence anxiety
“This may also partly explain the findings associated with body composition measures. As levels of total body fat increased beyond 36%, the likelihood of anxiety disorder was increased by more than 70%,” said co-author Jose Mora-Almanza, a Mitacs Globalink Intern who worked with the study at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Canada.

According to the researchers, increased body fat may be linked to greater inflammation. Emerging research suggests that some anxiety disorders can be linked to inflammation.

“Our findings are in keeping with previous research which has also indicated that women are more vulnerable to anxiety disorders than men,” said study co-author Karen Kobayashi.

anxiety
Don’t let your anxiety bring you down at work! Image courtesy: Shutterstock

The study team analysed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging which included 26,991 men and women between the ages of 45 and 85. Other factors associated with anxiety disorders among mid-age and older Canadians.

Sadly, women are more prone to anxiety disorder
In addition to diet and body composition measures, the prevalence of anxiety disorders also differed by gender, marital status, income, immigrant status, and several health issues.

One in nine women had an anxiety disorder compared to one in fifteen men, the study said.

The prevalence of anxiety disorders among those who had always been single (13.9%) was much higher than among those who were living with a partner (7.8%).

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Approximately one in five respondents with household incomes under $20,000 per year had anxiety disorders, more than double the prevalence of their richer peers.

“We were not surprised to find that those in poverty had such a high prevalence of anxiety disorders; struggling to afford basics such as food and housing causes relentless stress and is inherently anxiety-inducing,” said study co-author Hongmei Tong, Assistant Professor at MacEwan University in Canada.

So, ladies grab your grocery bag now and lay your hands on some fresh vegetables and fruits. 

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