Association Between Nut Consumption and Depression and Anxiety Publisher

Summary: Could eating nuts relate to mood? An Iranian cross-sectional study linked higher nut intake to fewer depressive symptoms, but found no clear anxiety association. #Nutrition #MentalHealth

Bateni M ; Shamlou F ; Mohammadifard N ; Sahebzamani Y ; Haghighatdoost F ; Roohafza H ; Hosseini A R ; Lotfizadeh M ; Sarrafzadegan N
Source: Nutrition and Food Science Published:2026

Abstract

Purpose – Depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. The nuts are rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, may play a role in mental health. This study aims to investigate the association between nut consumption and symptoms of depression and anxiety among Iranian adults. Design/methodology/approach – This cross-sectional analysis was performed on 1, 994 healthy adults. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Nuts included all commonly consumed tree nuts and peanuts. Participants were divided into two categories based on the median of nut consumption including; < 3.4 servings/week and ≥ 3.4 servings/week. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). This association were assessed using Binary logistic regression. Findings – The mean age of participants was 39.3 ± 14.4 years and 53.5% were women. In the crude model, higher nut consumption was significantly associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms (OR: 0.62; p = 0.01). This association remained significant after adjustment for all potential confounders (OR: 0.72; p = 0.033). No significant association was observed between nut consumption and anxiety symptoms in either the crude (OR: 0.81; p = 0.056), or fully adjusted models (OR: 0.85; p = 0.257). Originality/value – The findings showed that higher nut consumption was independently associated with reduced occurrence of depressive symptoms among Iranian adults. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to confirm these associations. © 2026 Emerald Publishing Limited