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Impact of Dash and Mediterranean Diets on Mood and Happiness in Young Adult Males: A Cross-Sectional Study Publisher Pubmed



Kazeminejad S1, 2 ; Abtahi M3, 4 ; Askari M1 ; Marbini MH5 ; Jalilpiran Y1 ; Azadbakht L1, 6, 7
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 1416643931, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Students’ Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Nutrition Research, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Iranian Research Center on Ageing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  5. 5. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  6. 6. Diabetes Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  7. 7. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Source: BMC Research Notes Published:2025


Abstract

Objective: The association between the Mediterranean diet (MED) and the dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) with some mental disorders is well-documented. However, a consistent relationship with young adults as a vulnerable population has yet to be known. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relation between Iranian young male adults’ mood and happiness state with DASH/MED patterns. Results: Participants’ mean age was 23.65 ± 1.74 years, within the age range of 18–28 years, and their BMI was 24.23 ± 3.82 kg/m². After adjusting for all covariates, those in the highest DASH tertile had 54% lower odds of poor mood compared to the lowest tertile (OR = 0.46; 95%CI: 0.24, 0.88). An inverse relationship was also found between DASH and low happiness scores (OR T3 vs. T1 = 0.51, 95%CI: 0.27, 0.96). No significant association was found between MED and mood or happiness. Therefore, results showed that participants who adhered more closely to the DASH diet were less likely to report being unhappy or having a poor mood. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these findings. © The Author(s) 2025.
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