Dietary patterns, breakfast consumption, meals with family and associations with common mental disorders in adolescents: a school-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Adolescence is a period of transition and vulnerabilities, in which mental illnesses can develop more easily. The objective of this work is to analyze the association of dietary patterns, breakfast consumption, and the practice of having meals accompanied by the family with the presence of Common Mental Disorders in Brazilian adolescents. Methods This is a cross-sectional study which analyzed data from 71,553 Brazilian adolescents aged 12–17 years, from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (Portuguese acronym, “ERICA”). Principal Component Analysis was performed to identify dietary patterns, and Logistic Regression Models were performed to identify the associations between Common Mental Disorders, dietary patterns, and eating practices that are breakfast consumption and practice of having meals accompanied by family. Results Two patterns were found, a Healthy Dietary Pattern and an Unhealthy Dietary Pattern. Adolescents classified in the second (OR: 0.79; 95% CI 0.70—0.89) or third (OR: 0.86; 95% CI 0.77—0.96) tercile of the Healthy Dietary Pattern had a lower chance of having Common Mental Disorders. Eating breakfast sometimes (OR: 0.71; 95% CI 0.61—0.83) or almost every day/every day (OR: 0.54; 95% CI 0.47—0.62), and the practice of having the main meals with the family sometimes (OR: 0.69; 95% CI 0.57—0.84) or almost every day/every day (OR: 0.50; 95% CI 0.44–0.58), decreased the chance for Common Mental Disorders. Conclusion This study observed that healthy dietary patterns are associated with better mental health in adolescents, thus should be encouraged and promoted.

Dietary and Nutritional Profiles among Brazilian Adolescents

“…Studies have already pointed out the better quality of the diet among adolescents who regularly eat this first-morning meal [ 33 ], mainly because in Brazil, at this first moment of the day, they usually eat fruit together with energy sources (tapioca, couscous, slices of bread, or tubers), protein sources (eggs, meat, chicken), and calcium sources (milk and yoghurts) [ 28 ]. In addition, the results of studies with adolescents highlight the positive associations between a higher frequency of meals shared with the family and better markers of food, nutrition, and health in this age period [ 34 , 35 ].…”

Associations between breakfast skipping and outcomes in neuropsychiatric disorders, cognitive performance, and frailty: a Mendelian randomization study

“…A notable cross-sectional study, involving 21,972 individuals from 28 countries, demonstrated an association between breakfast skipping and poor psychiatric health as well as diminished academic performance [ 3 ]. Furthermore, a Brazilian study highlighted that daily breakfast consumption could reduce the incidence of common mental disorders, primarily encompassing depressive and anxiety disorders [ 4 ].…”

Family Meals and Social Eating Behavior and Their Association with Disordered Eating among Spanish Adolescents: The EHDLA Study

“…Several studies have explored various aspects related to eating disorders, social eating behavior, and family meals in adolescents [30,32,33]. However, the comprehensive exploration of the diverse environmental factors contributing to disordered eating behavior is still a pressing need [26,34].…”