A Review: The Effects of Diet and Exercise on Anxiety

By: Amanda Iglesias

Overview
Anxiety disorders have different

Individuals plagued by anxiety

disorders have reported a substantially

symptoms, but overall they accompany

poorer quality of life than those not

chronic feelings of fear and worry.

affected by these disorders (Rapaport,

Those affected by anxiety lead the

Clary, Fayyad, & Endicott, 2005). Mood

prevalence of mood disorders, which can

disorders such as anxiety can affect

interfere with many aspects of daily

different aspects of life ranging from the

living. According to the Anxiety and

sexual drive, social relationships, and

Depression Association of America

even economic status. There is not one

(ADAA), 18% of the United States

particular cause for mood disorders.

population is affected by an anxiety

However, recent research has linked diet

disorder. Additionally, individuals with

and physical activity habits to anxiety.

anxiety disorders have been shown to

Studies conducted in humans and animal

perform more poorly in an academic

models establish the physical and mental

setting and are more likely to lose their

consequences of consuming imbalanced

jobs than the rest of the American

diets. Additionally, research makes a

population (Nardi, 2003). Anxiety

connection between physical activity

disorders place a financial and societal

habits and overall health and mental

burden on the country, and finding ways

abilities. The physiological and

to assist individuals with these disorders

psychological health of individuals

can help America as a whole.

appears to associate with food

consumption and physical activity

animals experience anhedonia, they are

behaviors.

unable to feel pleasure. New evidence

High-Fat Diets

also shows that increased consumption

Research has shown that western

of high-fat foods is associated with high

diets, typically high in saturated fats and

levels of anxiety in humans

sugars, cause metabolic dysfunction and

(Yannakoulia et al.).Together, these

foster cognitive changes in humans

results strongly suggest that diets high in

(Kanoski & Davidson, 2011).

fat increase anxiety-like behavior in both

Investigators determined that high-fat

animals and humans.

diet consumption increased vulnerability

High-Sugar Diets

for anxiety-like behavior in an animal

Additionally, diets high in sugar

model and that those behavioral

have been associated with health

differences were consistent with changes

consequences. Recent research has

in the brain (Sharma, Zhuang, & Gomez-

linked sugar intake with overall

Pinilla, 2012). Research has also

cognitive health (Barnes & Joyner,

established that diets with high saturated

2012). Rats fed a sugar-rich diet were

fat content increase stress in the brain

not able to distinguish the difference

and induce anxiety-like behaviors

between new and familiar objects, which

(Souza et al., 2007). Similarly, animals

indicated a deficit in cognitive

placed on a high-fat diet for a total of 16

performance (Jurdak & Kanarek, 2009).

weeks displayed anhedonia and anxiety-

Also, sugar-fed rats performed very

like behaviors (Dutheil, Ota, Wohleb,

poorly on a spatial memory task as

Rasmussen, & Duman, 2016). When

compared to groups that consumed

sugar-free or honey-fed diets (Chepulis,

much of the population does not

Starkey, Waas, & Molan, 2009). Sugar

accomplish the recommended amount of

consumption does not only affect animal

aerobic and muscle-strengthening

models, but research has also been

activity on a weekly basis. Despite the

established showing how it affects

benefits, the movement has on

humans. A study on Canadian children

wellbeing, maintaining an appropriate

indicated that ingesting added sugars

amount of physical activity has proved

from a liquid or solid source contributed

challenging for individuals in society.

to low diet quality (Wang et al., 2015).

Some low impact physical activities

The same research also found a

have provided humans and animals with

correlation between drinking liquid

both psychological and physiological

sugars and obesity indicators. Overall, it

benefits. Recent research has shown that

appears as though diets high in sugar or

jobs with active workstations, such as

fat have negative physical and cognitive

exercise bikes at ones desk, might be

consequences in both animals and

effective in improving mental well-being

humans. Nutritionally balanced diets

(Sliter & Yuan, 2015). Also, light

accompanied by a consistent amount of

physical activity, such as walking or

physical activity are essential habits in

riding a bike, has been helpful in

maintaining overall health.

reducing depression and increasing

Physical Inactivity

psychological welfare (Netz, Wu,

According to the CDC, the

Becker, & Tenenbaum, 2005; Rethorst,

majority of individuals in the United

Wipfli, & Landers, 2009). Liang found

States lead a sedentary lifestyle, and

that immediately after giving rats on a

high-fat diet access to wheel running,

2014). Also, a humans exercise

they significantly reduced their high-fat

frequency increased their motivation to

diet consumption (Liang, Bello, &

make changes in eating habits. An

Moran, 2015). Researchers indicated that

individuals decision to choose particular

rewards received for wheel running

diet and exercise habit routine has a

replaced the positive feelings association

connection to their physical and mental

with consuming a diet high in fat. These

health.

findings are similar to previous studies

Conclusion: Societal Implications of

that have suggested that physical activity

Research

and eating are related through dopamine

Understanding how unhealthy

pathways in the brain commonly

diet and exercise habits can lead to

associated with reward (Garland et al.,

vulnerability for anxiety can be helpful

2011). Exercise and physical activity,

in developing modalities to treatment the

even in the lightest forms, have

disorder. Studies have placed attention

displayed comprehensive health benefits

on the negative consequences a high-fat

in both humans and animals.

diet has on human behaviors. Also, some

Previous research shows that the

research indicates that cognitive function

craving for fatty foods decreases after

and physical health may be affected by

exercise (McNeil, Cadieux, Finlayson,

an overconsumption of dietary sugars.

Blundell, & Doucet, 2015). After two

Previous research shows a reciprocal

weeks of physical activity, the

relationship between altering

reinforcing value of energy dense foods

consumption of fruits and vegetables and

decreased (Panek, Jones, & Temple,

increasing exercise volume; each

behavior reinforces the other (Annesi &

controlling anxiety and improving

Porter, 2013). Living a physically active

cognitive function.

lifestyle has the potential to motivate

individuals to make more health
conscious meal choices. Information
obtained by examining the effects of an
unbalanced diet and lack of physical
activity on anxiety-like behaviors are
scientifically relevant. Research has
shown that physical activity and diet are
related through brain reward pathways
(Garland et al., 2011). However, these
distinct pathways are unknown, and
more research is necessary to gain a
deeper understanding. Despite this noted
nuance, the results from this research
inform the general population about the
risks of consuming diets high in fat and
high in sugar, along with being
physically inactive. Changing diet and
exercise habits is relatively

Target Journal: Web of Science -

straightforward, and research has shown

http://wokinfo.com/essays/journal-

that they are an effective means of

selection-process/

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