Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 17, 2025
A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Dietary intake and five types of mental disorders: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Yichun Zhang1, Mingzhu Zhang2, Qihua Guan2
1Jining Hospital of Xiyuan Hospital of CACMS, Jining, China.
Background:
Mental illness has been presenting serious public health concerns. Studies have linked mental disorders to poor dietary patterns. The study aimed to estimate the causal relationship between dietary macronutrient intake and mental disorders using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Methods:
The causal relationships between dietary macronutrient intake (i.e., carbohydrate, fat, protein and sugar) and mental disorders (i.e., anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, neuroticism and schizophrenia) were explored on the basis of UK Biobank and 5 datasets. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) and weighted median (WM) methods were applied to calculate the potential causation between macronutrient and mental disorders. MR-Egger's intercept and MR-PRESSO approaches were used to verify the MR assumptions. Outcomes were reported as odds ratios (OR) and regression coefficients (β), which were adjusted by False Discovery Rate (FDR) corrections.
Results:
Forward MR analyses revealed that genetically predicted high-fat and high-protein intakes were related to an increased risk of anxiety [fat: OR = 3.103, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.015 to 9.486, PIVW = 0.047, FDR = 0.209; protein: OR = 3.364, 95% CI: 1.071 to 10.567, PIVW = 0.038, FDR = 0.189]. High-carbohydrate intake was associated with BD (OR = 1.468, 95% CI: 1.052 to 2.048, PIVW = 0.024, FDR = 0.160), and high-protein intake was also linked to depression (OR = 1.443, 95% CI: 1.227 to 1.696, PIVW < 0.001, FDR < 0.001). Reverse MR analyses indicated that neuroticism resulted in higher sugar intake (β = 7.556 g, 95% CI: 0.610 to 14.502 g, PIVW = 0.033, FDR = 0.189). Additionally, schizophrenia was associated with lower intakes of carbohydrate, fat, protein and sugar.
Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrated that although the effects of psychiatric diseases on diet patterns have been well understood, the potential impacts of dietary intake on mental disorders are needed to be highlighted.
Clinical Trial Number:
Not applicable.
More Related Videos
05:44Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development
Published on: May 17, 2024
06:55An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents
Published on: December 2, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:28Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
01:23Binge Eating Disorders
01:27Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
01:23Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
01:29Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...