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. 2024 Mar 1;10(1):38.
doi: 10.1186/s40795-024-00845-x.

Adherence to the nordic diet is associated with anxiety, stress, and depression in recovered COVID-19 patients, a case-control study

Asie Araste  1   2 , Mohammad Reza Shadmand Foumani Moghadam  3 , Kimia Mohammadhasani  4 , Mohammad Vahedi Fard  4 , Zahra Khorasanchi  5 , MohammadReza Latifi  6 , Elahe Hasanzadeh  6 , Nasrin Talkhi  7 , Payam Sharifan  1 , Parisa Asadiyan-Sohan  8 , Marjan Khayati Bidokhti  6 , Arezoo Ghassemi  6 , Reza Assaran Darban  8 , Gordon Ferns  9 , Majid Ghayour-Mobarhan  10   11
Affiliations

Adherence to the nordic diet is associated with anxiety, stress, and depression in recovered COVID-19 patients, a case-control study

Asie Araste et al. BMC Nutr. .

Abstract

Background: Follow-up of COVID-19 recovered patients to discover important adverse effects on other organs is required. The psychological health of COVID-19 patients may be affected after recovery.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to the Nordic diet (ND) and psychological symptoms caused by COVID-19 after recovery.

Method: Dietary data on 246 qualified adults (123 cases and 123 controls). The dietary intake in this case-control study was calculated by a reliable and valid food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used to analyze participant's anxiety, stress, depression, sleep quality, insomnia, and quality of life of participants.

Results: There was a significant inverse relationship between total anxiety, stress, and depression scores and the intake of whole grains (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant inverse association between depression and fruit intake (P < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was found between insomnia and sleep quality and the intake of root vegetables (P < 0.05). In the multinomial-regression model, a significant association between the Nordic diet and anxiety, stress, and depression was found only in the case group (OR = 0.719, 95% CI 0.563-0.918, p-value = 0.008; OR = 0.755, 95% CI 0.609-0.934, P-value = 0.010, and, OR = 0.759, 95% CI 0.602-0.956, P-value = 0.019 respectively).

Conclusion: Adherence to the Nordic diet might reduce anxiety, stress, and depression in recovered COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Depression; Fruit; Nordic diet; Stress; Whole grain.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants between groups. (a) Gender, (b) Education, (c) Age, (d) Anthropometric measurements
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Correlation between components of Nordic diet and psychological tests in case and control groups
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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