An apple a day: Protective associations between nutrition and the mental health of immigrants in Canada
Abstract
Purpose Mental illness represents a major public health burden among Canada's large immigrant population. A burgeoning cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental evidence base implicates nutrition in mental health. Healthier diets (e.g., those rich in certain micro-nutrients) may benefit cognitive, social, and emotional functioning through attenuated inflammation and other bio-psychological pathways. The present study examined associations between nutrition and three markers of mental health among immigrants to Canada.Methods Employing cross-sectional data from immigrant respondents (n = 37,071) to a nationally representative population-based survey (the Canadian Community Health Survey: CCHS 2011-2014), we modelled associations of daily fruit and vegetable consumption with three mental health outcomes: anxiety and/or mood disorder diagnosis, being distressed (assessed via the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), and having good self-rated overall mental health. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed, adjusting for various socio-demographic and lifestyle-related variables.Results Higher consumption of fruit and vegetables demonstrated significant, protective associations with odds of having a mood and/or anxiety disorder, being distressed, and self-rated good mental health. Such patterns of association were similar regardless of ethno-cultural minority status and recency of immigration. Moreover, the protective associations of nutrition and mental health were independent of socio-demographic, health, and lifestyle factors.Conclusions Results suggested evidence of protective associations between healthy nutritional intake and mental illness among a large-scale sample of immigrants in Canada. Importantly, the protective associations of healthier diets with immigrants' mental health were independent of various markers of healthy lifestyles (e.g., general health status, physical activity, alcohol use). Healthy dietary intake may, therefore, be worth consideration in efforts to prevent mental illness among immigrants.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Nutrients derived from diet, such as vitamins, minerals, poly-unsaturated fats, and amino acids support healthy brain function.
“Nutrients derived from diet, such as vitamins, minerals, poly-unsaturated fats, and amino acids support healthy brain function [51–55].”
From Role of diet and its effects on the gut microbiome in the pathophysiology of mental disorders (2022) · cites this paper as [53]
Cites
Screening for serious mental illness in the general population
Kessler, R. C., Barker, P. R., Colpe, L. J., Epstein, J. F., Gfroerer, J. C., Hiripi, E., Howes, M. J., Normand, S.-L. T., Manderscheid, R. W., Walters, E. E., et al. (2003) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.60.2.184 · Cited by 5,692 · see citing works
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
L.Maddex, R. (2006) · Encyclopedia of Sexual Behavior and the Law · doi:10.4135/9781452240107.n226 · Cited by 3,170 · see citing works
Estimating the true global burden of mental illness
Vigo, D., Thornicroft, G., & Atun, R. (2016) · The Lancet Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(15)00505-2 · Cited by 2,494 · see citing works
FURUKAWA, T. A., KESSLER, R. C., SLADE, T., & ANDREWS, G. (2003) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291702006700 · Cited by 1,570 · see citing works
So depression is an inflammatory disease, but where does the inflammation come from?
Berk, M., Williams, L. J., Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Pasco, J. A., Moylan, S., Allen, N. B., Stuart, A. L., Hayley, A. C., Byrne, M. L., et al. (2013) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/1741-7015-11-200 · Cited by 1,423 · see citing works
Immigration as a social determinant of health.
Castañeda, H., Holmes, S. M., Madrigal, D. S., Young, M.-E. D., Beyeler, N., & Quesada, J. (2015) · Annual Review of Public Health · doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182419 · Cited by 1,173 · see citing works
Chekroud, S. R., Gueorguieva, R., Zheutlin, A. B., Paulus, M., Krumholz, H. M., Krystal, J. H., & Chekroud, A. M. (2018) · The Lancet Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30227-x · Cited by 1,172 · see citing works
Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Opie, R., Itsiopoulos, C., Cotton, S., Mohebbi, M., Castle, D., Dash, S., Mihalopoulos, C., Chatterton, M. L., et al. (2017) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y · Cited by 1,093 · see citing works
Overview of the Health Benefits of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption for the Dietetics Professional
Duyn, M. A. V., & Pivonka, E. (2000) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(00)00420-x · Cited by 814 · see citing works
Mediterranean diet, stroke, cognitive impairment, and depression: A meta‐analysis
Psaltopoulou, T., Sergentanis, T. N., Panagiotakos, D. B., Sergentanis, I. N., Kosti, R., & Scarmeas, N. (2013) · Annals of Neurology · doi:10.1002/ana.23944 · Cited by 793 · see citing works
Lai, J. S., Hiles, S., Bisquera, A., Hure, A. J., McEvoy, M., & Attia, J. (2014) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.069880 · Cited by 786 · see citing works
Lock, K., Pomerleau, J., Causer, L. M., Altmann, D. R., & McKee, M. (2005) · Europe PMC (PubMed Central) · Cited by 737 · see citing works
WALSH, R. N. (2011) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/a0021769 · Cited by 705 · see citing works
Parletta, N., Zarnowiecki, D., Cho, J., Wilson, A., Bogomolova, S., Villani, A., Itsiopoulos, C., Niyonsenga, T., Blunden, S., Meyer, B., et al. (2019) · Nutritional Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/1028415x.2017.1411320 · Cited by 629 · see citing works
Dietary patterns and depression risk: a meta-analysis
Li, Y., Lv, M.-R., Wei, Y.-J., Sun, L., Zhang, J.-X., Zhang, H.-G., & Li, B. (2017) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.020 · Cited by 599 · see citing works
Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry
Sarris, J., Logan, A. C., Akbaraly, T. N., Amminger, G. P., Balanzá-Martínez, V., Freeman, M. P., Hibbeln, J., Matsuoka, Y., Mischoulon, D., Mizoue, T., et al. (2015) · The Lancet Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(14)00051-0 · Cited by 592 · see citing works
Single item measures of self-rated mental health: a scoping review
Ahmad, F., Jhajj, A. K., Stewart, D. E., Burghardt, M., & Bierman, A. S. (2014) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/1472-6963-14-398 · Cited by 561 · see citing works
Western diet is associated with a smaller hippocampus: a longitudinal investigation
Jacka, F. N., Cherbuin, N., Anstey, K. J., Sachdev, P. S., & Butterworth, P. (2015) · BMC Medicine · doi:10.1186/s12916-015-0461-x · Cited by 292 · see citing works
Diätumstellung gegen Depression
(2017) · DMW - Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift · doi:10.1055/s-0043-103782 · Cited by 287 · see citing works
Garriguet, D. (2009) · PubMed · Cited by 271 · see citing works
Immigrant acculturation and wellbeing in Canada.
Berry, J. W., & Hou, F. (2016) · Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne · doi:10.1037/cap0000064 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
Acculturation and Nutritional Health of Immigrants in Canada: A Scoping Review
Sanou, D., O’Reilly, E., Ngnie‐Teta, I., Batal, M., Mondain, N., Andrew, C., Newbold, K. B., & Bourgeault, I. L. (2013) · Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health · doi:10.1007/s10903-013-9823-7 · Cited by 232 · see citing works
Migration and health in Canada: health in the global village
Gushulak, B. D., Pottie, K. C., Roberts, J. H., Torres, S., & DesMeules, M. (2010) · Canadian Medical Association Journal · doi:10.1503/cmaj.090287 · Cited by 232 · see citing works
McMartin, S. E., Jacka, F. N., & Colman, I. (2013) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.12.016 · Cited by 229 · see citing works
Food for thought: The role of nutrition in the microbiota-gut–brain axis
Oriach, C. S., Robertson, R. C., Stanton, C., Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2016) · Clinical Nutrition Experimental · doi:10.1016/j.yclnex.2016.01.003 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
Cairney, J., Veldhuizen, S., Wade, T. J., Kurdyak, P. A., & Streiner, D. L. (2007) · The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/070674370705200209 · Cited by 226 · see citing works
Does reverse causality explain the relationship between diet and depression?
Jacka, F. N., Cherbuin, N., Anstey, K. J., & Butterworth, P. (2015) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.01.007 · Cited by 175 · see citing works
Variation in health services utilization among ethnic populations
Quan, H. (2006) · Canadian Medical Association Journal · doi:10.1503/cmaj.050674 · Cited by 175 · see citing works
Sarris, J. J., Logan, A. C., Akbaraly, T. N., Amminger, G. P., Balanzá‐Martínez, V., Freeman, M. P., Hibbeln, J. R., Matsuoka, Y., Mischoulon, D., Mizoue, T., et al. (2015) · World Psychiatry · doi:10.1002/wps.20223 · Cited by 135 · see citing works
The Emerging Field of Nutritional Mental Health
Kaplan, B. J., Rucklidge, J. J., Romijn, A., & McLeod, K. (2015) · Clinical Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/2167702614555413 · Cited by 132 · see citing works
Chiu, M., Amartey, A., Wang, X., & Kurdyak, P. A. (2018) · The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/0706743717741061 · Cited by 129 · see citing works
Immigrant Mental Health, A Public Health Issue: Looking Back and Moving Forward
George, U., Thomson, M. S., Chaze, F., & Guruge, S. (2015) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph121013624 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
Pérez, C. E. (2013) · PsycEXTRA Dataset · doi:10.1037/e507682010-001 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Bauer, I., Gálvez, J., Hamilton, J. E., Balanzá-Martínez, V., Zunta-Soares, G., Soares, J., & Meyer, T. (2015) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.12.006 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Firth, J., Stubbs, B., Sarris, J. J., Rosenbaum, S., Teasdale, S. B., Berk, M., & Yung, A. R. (2017) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291717000022 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Sarris, J. J., Mischoulon, D., & Schweitzer, I. (2011) · Bipolar Disorders · doi:10.1111/j.1399-5618.2011.00945.x · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Kulkarni, A., Swinburn, B. A., & Utter, J. (2014) · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1038/ejcn.2014.130 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
O'Donnell, S., Vanderloo, S. E., McRae, L., Onysko, J., Patten, S. B., & Pelletier, L. (2015) · Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences · doi:10.1017/s2045796015000463 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
The effect of food intake on mood
Christensen, L. (2001) · Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1054/clnu.2001.0420 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Kingsbury, M. K., Dupuis, G., Jacka, F. N., Roy‐Gagnon, M., McMartin, S. E., & Colman, I. (2015) · Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health · doi:10.1136/jech-2015-205858 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Gordon, H. A., Rucklidge, J. J., Blampied, N. M., & Johnstone, J. M. (2015) · Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1089/cap.2015.0105 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Chaze, F., Thomson, M. S., George, U., & Guruge, S. (2015) · Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health · doi:10.7870/cjcmh-2015-015 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Pan, S. W., & Carpiano, R. M. (2012) · Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health · doi:10.1007/s10903-012-9657-8 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Kean, J. D., Camfield, D., Sarris, J. J., Kras, M., Silberstein, R. B., Scholey, A. B., & Stough, C. K. K. (2013) · Nutrition Journal · doi:10.1186/1475-2891-12-100 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Nutritional psychiatry: Towards improving mental health by what you eat
Adan, R. A. H., van der Beek, E. M., Buitelaar, J. K., Cryan, J. F., Hebebrand, J., Higgs, S., Schellekens, H., & Dickson, S. L. (2019) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.10.011 · Cited by 454 · see citing works
Role of diet and its effects on the gut microbiome in the pathophysiology of mental disorders
Horn, J., Mayer, D. E., Chen, S., & Mayer, E. A. (2022) · Translational Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/s41398-022-01922-0 · Cited by 193 · see citing works
- Authors
- Emerson, S. D., & Carbert, N. S.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Emerson, Scott D.
- ORCID
- Emerson, Scott D.
- Venue
- Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Published
- 2018-10-23
- Volume
- 54
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 567-578
- ISSN
- 0933-7954 (ISSN-L)
- 1433-9285
- OpenAlex
- W2897939477
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 3.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- immigrant mental health, fruit and vegetable intake, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychological distress, self-rated mental health, ethnocultural minorities, mental illness prevention
- MeSH terms
- Diet, Healthy, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Anxiety, Canada, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet Surveys, Female, Fruit, Health Status, Humans, Life Style, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Vegetables, Logistic Models, Mood Disorders, Emigrants and Immigrants, Protective Factors
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
