Fruit and vegetable consumption could be as good for your mental as your physical health, new research suggests.

The research, conducted by the University of Warwick's Medical School focused on mental wellbeing and found that high and low mental wellbeing were associated with fruit and vegetable consumption.

33.5% of people with high mental wellbeing ate five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day, compared with only 6.8% who ate less than one portion. 31.4% of those with high mental wellbeing ate three-four portions and 28.4% ate one-two.

Low mental wellbeing is linked to mental illness and mental health problems, but high mental wellbeing is a state in which people feel good and function well. Optimism, happiness, self-esteem and good relationships with others are all part of this state. Mental wellbeing is important not just to protect people from mental illness but because it protects people against common and serious physical diseases.

Professor Sarah Stewart-Brown says that: "Mental illness affects both the individual and society, and mental wellbeing helps fight against physical diseases and unhealthy lifestyles. There are various factors that help people maintain a sense of wellbeing. These factors include: the consumption of fruit and vegetable. Also increasing a person’s mental wellbeing prevent heart disease and cancer.”

The research involved 14,000 participants in England aged 16 or over, with 56% of those being female and 44% male, as part of the Health Survey for England -- which collected information on mental and physical health, health related behaviour, demographics and socio-economic characteristics.

Adapted from: https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13930702000311ç