TY - JOUR
T1 - Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan
AU - Radavelli-Bagatini, Simone
AU - Blekkenhorst, Lauren C.
AU - Sim, Marc
AU - Prince, Richard L.
AU - Bondonno, Nicola P.
AU - Bondonno, Catherine P.
AU - Woodman, Richard
AU - Anokye, Reindolf
AU - Dimmock, James
AU - Jackson, Ben
AU - Costello, Leesa
AU - Devine, Amanda
AU - Stanley, Mandy J.
AU - Dickson, Joanne M.
AU - Magliano, Dianna J.
AU - Shaw, Jonathan E.
AU - Daly, Robin M.
AU - Hodgson, Jonathan M.
AU - Lewis, Joshua R.
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - Background & aims: Poor nutritional habits are linked to higher perceived stress, but the relationship between fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and stress is uncertain. The primary aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between FV intake and perceived stress in a population-based cohort of men and women aged ≥25 years from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) Study. A secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between serum carotenoids, biomarkers of FV intake, and perceived stress. Methods: In Australian men and women, dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire in 1999–2000 (n = 8689). Perceived stress was assessed using a validated Perceived Stress Questionnaire [PSQ index values ranging from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest)]. Serum carotenoids were measured in a subset of participants (n = 1187) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Multivariable-adjusted linear and logistic regression were performed to investigate the associations between FV intake and perceived stress. Results: Mean age of participants was 47.4 (SD 14.1) years (49.8% females). Participants with the highest intakes of FV had 10% lower PSQ index values than those with the lowest intake [Q4: 0.27 ± 0.004 vs. Q1: 0.30 ± 0.004 (mean ± SE), p = 0.004]. Similar associations were found for fruits and vegetables, analysed separately. In subgroup analyses higher FV intake was associated with lower perceived stress in the middle-aged adults [≥45-<65 years (p = 0.004)], but not in the younger (<45 years) and older participants (≥65 years). Higher FV intake was also significantly associated with lower perceived stress in men (p = 0.009) and women (p = 0.012), separately. Serum carotenoid levels were inversely associated with perceived stress before, but not after adjusting for age and other confounding factors. Conclusion: In Australian adults, higher FV intake was associated with lower perceived stress, particularly in the middle-aged adults. These findings support current recommendations that fruit and vegetables are essential for health and well-being.
AB - Background & aims: Poor nutritional habits are linked to higher perceived stress, but the relationship between fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and stress is uncertain. The primary aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between FV intake and perceived stress in a population-based cohort of men and women aged ≥25 years from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) Study. A secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between serum carotenoids, biomarkers of FV intake, and perceived stress. Methods: In Australian men and women, dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire in 1999–2000 (n = 8689). Perceived stress was assessed using a validated Perceived Stress Questionnaire [PSQ index values ranging from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest)]. Serum carotenoids were measured in a subset of participants (n = 1187) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Multivariable-adjusted linear and logistic regression were performed to investigate the associations between FV intake and perceived stress. Results: Mean age of participants was 47.4 (SD 14.1) years (49.8% females). Participants with the highest intakes of FV had 10% lower PSQ index values than those with the lowest intake [Q4: 0.27 ± 0.004 vs. Q1: 0.30 ± 0.004 (mean ± SE), p = 0.004]. Similar associations were found for fruits and vegetables, analysed separately. In subgroup analyses higher FV intake was associated with lower perceived stress in the middle-aged adults [≥45-<65 years (p = 0.004)], but not in the younger (<45 years) and older participants (≥65 years). Higher FV intake was also significantly associated with lower perceived stress in men (p = 0.009) and women (p = 0.012), separately. Serum carotenoid levels were inversely associated with perceived stress before, but not after adjusting for age and other confounding factors. Conclusion: In Australian adults, higher FV intake was associated with lower perceived stress, particularly in the middle-aged adults. These findings support current recommendations that fruit and vegetables are essential for health and well-being.
KW - AusDiab
KW - Australian adults
KW - Fruit and vegetable intake
KW - Healthy lifestyle
KW - Perceived stress
KW - Public health messages
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105835490&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/NHMRC/1172987
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/NHMRC/1116973
U2 - 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043
DO - 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.043
M3 - Article
C2 - 33940399
AN - SCOPUS:85105835490
SN - 0261-5614
VL - 40
SP - 2860
EP - 2867
JO - Clinical Nutrition
JF - Clinical Nutrition
IS - 5
ER -
