Diet and mental health: What you need to know as Calgary students head back to school

Over the past few years, experts say there has been a drastic decline in youth mental health, so what should parents be on the lookout for as students prepare to head back to school?

“Randomized control trials are actually looking at how what we eat impacts our, you know, mental health and our perspective,” said Dr. Lynne Lafave, a professor of health and physical education at Mount Royal University.

Is your child’s diet helping or hurting their mental health? It’s something to consider before stocking the pantry, especially with packed school lunches set to make a return.

“Processed foods are typically high in sugar, fat and salt,” Lafave said.

While convenient and quite often what our kids gravitate towards, most processed foods have been linked to depression and anxiety, a growing problem among youth.

“Making choices that are more original in their intake, not eating as much processed food and choosing sort of more whole foods really does have benefits for our mental health,” Lafave said.

She says one such diet that’s been getting a lot of attention is the Mediterranean diet.

“Whole foods. Very little red meats — not exclusionary — just in moderation,” Lafave explained.

“Higher in fish or in plant-based proteins. Lots of fruits and vegetables — by just the virtue of all of this — is lower in salt. It’s lower in sugars.”

Simply put – you are what you eat, and a healthy diet helps create a healthy mind.

Lafave recommends getting creative in the kitchen and including kids in the meal prep process.