Study Links Higher Vegetable Intake to Lower Odds of Mental Distress

The lead author said the findings highlight diet as a key factor in mental wellbeing.

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Australians who skip vegetables may be putting their mental health at risk, with a new study finding those who eat less than one daily serve face 1.6 times the odds of psychological distress compared with high vegetable consumers.

The research, based on health data from over 45,000 people, linked higher vegetable intake to lower rates of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Women appeared to benefit most, with advantages continuing up to five serves a day, while men’s gains peaked at around three to four serves.

Lead author Kerri Gillespie from Queensland University of Technology (QUT)’s School of Clinical Sciences said the findings highlight diet as a key factor in mental wellbeing.

“Women appear to go on benefiting from vegetables in their diet up to five or more serves per day,” she said.

Fruit, Fibre, and Soft Drink Links

The study also found fruit consumption benefits mostly women and only up to two daily servings.

A separate online survey of 129 adults led by Gillespie linked drinking seven or more cups of sugary soft drinks a week to a nearly fivefold increase in depression risk. A high-fibre diet was modestly associated with lower anxiety.

Co-author Professor Selena Bartlett called the results “extremely significant” given the large sample size.

“Correlation is never causation, and we have to be careful about that, but rarely do we think deeply about how diet affects our psychological health,” she said.

The peer-reviewed findings were published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and Frontiers in Nutrition.

Rising Mental Health Pressures

The research comes amid a worsening mental health landscape in Australia.

The 2024 National Report Card, released in July, found that mental disorders among 16–24-year-olds rose from 26 percent in 2007 to 39 percent in 2020–22.

Cost remains a barrier to care, with 20 percent of respondents to the ABS Patient Experience Survey delaying or avoiding treatment due to expense—up from 12 percent in 2020/21.

Social isolation also plays a role in worsening mental health. Loneliness affects about 15 percent of Australians aged 15 and over, with rates more than double among those living with long-term mental health conditions.