PSY4409 - Module 1 Exam Study Set A+ Graded
What does the famous adage "you are what you eat" reflect? - ANSWER - The philosophy
that what we put into our bodies ultimately affects our wellbeing
- Optimum physical and emotional functioning relies on consuming the optimal nutrients
and minerals to sustain our body and brain
What does research say about understanding good nutrition? - ANSWER Nutrition
interacts with many components of the body, such as genes, athletic performance,
resistance to infection, growth, development and cognitive functioning
What is the average age of onset of mood and anxiety disorders? - ANSWER Anxiety - 6
years old
Depression - 13 years old
What do we know about western and traditional dietary patterns? - ANSWER Western -
Higher rates of mood disorders (not anxiety)
Traditional - Less likely to have mood or anxiety disorders
How does sugar impact wellbeing? - ANSWER - Excessive sugar consumption has
deleterious effects on our brain.
- Sugar shrinks areas of the brain responsible for memory and mood regulation
functions, such as the hippocampus
- Links between sugar consumption and major depression have also been found.
- The association between sugary drink consumption and depressive symptoms
increased by 5% for every sugary drink consumed. The association was also found to be
stronger in women than in men.
What does the World Health Organisation suggest for added sugar intake daily? -
ANSWER - No more than 10% of daily total energy intake
- No more than 25 grams of added sugar (6 teaspoons) will provide additional health
benefits.
- However, the average person today consumes 1.36 kg of sugar each week - that's
almost 200 grams a day!
What are the impacts of Carbohydrates on wellbeing? - ANSWER - In clinical
populations, carbohydrates enhance mood in individuals with obesity, premenstrual
syndrome, and Seasonal Affective Disorder.
- In non-clinical populations, carbohydrates (versus protein-based diets) enhance
,positive mood and energy and reduce anger, anxiety, and depression
- The explanation often offered to explain this effect, is that carbohydrates increase
tryptophan entering the brain, which then increases serotonin.
- The mechanisms by which carbohydrate consumption elevate mood remains obscure.
- Benefits to a low-carbohydrate diet.
- Unrefined carbohydrates (e.g., legumes, wholegrains, fruits and vegetables) have
numerous health benefits and are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, which plays a part
in regulating blood sugar and controlling appetite.
- Refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta are heavily processed have low
nutritional value, with many of the nutrients that are beneficial to health lost during
processing
What does the term Omega-3 refer to? - ANSWER - Three fatty acids:
1. alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
2. eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
3. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Foods such as seafood (particularly fish), flaxseed, chia seeds, and soybean are good
sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
What are the impacts of Omega-3 on wellbeing? - ANSWER - Link between depression
and low levels of Omega-3 fatty acids
- Linked to neuronal growth, enhanced mood, reduced heart disease and the delay of
dementia
- Findings on the effectiveness of fish oil supplements are mixed.
- There may be benefits to taking fish oil supplements alongside anti-depressant
medication in treating MDD, particularly for supplements that are high in EPA
- BUT a meta-analysis examining the effect of fish oil supplements on cardiovascular
disease found no significant reduction in both fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular disease
What are the impacts or fermented food on wellbeing? - ANSWER - High in good 'gut
bacteria'
- Our gut bacteria play a crucial role in both our physical and mental health
- Greater consumption of fermented foods was associated with fewer symptoms of
social anxiety.
- Probiotics supplements that improve gut bacteria improve depressive symptoms but
, it's recommended that clinical trials are needed.
What diet reduces overall mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cancer, Parkinson's and
Alzheimer's? - ANSWER Vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, and fish, with a moderate
intake of wine during meals
What diet has been shown to improve mood, increase energy, vigour and contentment -
ANSWER A 10-day Mediterranean diet
What diet do Hanson and Mendius (2009) recommend to achieve adequate nutrition and
promote good physical and psychological well-being: - ANSWER 1. Eating well every
day, with adequate fruits and vegetables, including berries, and proteins.
2. Minimising sugar, and particularly refined sugar, found in drinks and bread.
What other variables are important in our food choices other than physiological
processes? - ANSWER Social psychological variables such as our attitudes are likely to
mediate our food choices
What are the benefits of drinking coffee? - ANSWER - Drinking coffee in small doses
enhances performance, particularly when it is consumed 30 minutes before your need
for a boost.
- Antioxidants contained in coffee can have beneficial effects on brain functioning, for
example, protecting against dementia later in life
- Women who drink coffee have a 20% lowered risk of depression than non-drinkers.
- Further highlighting that our food choices can be influenced by attitudes and
expectations, there is evidence of a placebo effect in coffee consumption.
In a 2x2 experimental study, participants were allocated to a drink type
(caffeinated/decaffeinated coffee) and expectancy (told coffee was caffeinated/told
coffee was decaffeinated) condition. Results found that both consuming caffeine and
expecting to have consumed caffeine enhanced attention and psychomotor speed.
What are the benefits of chocolate? - ANSWER - Reports of more positive child
temperament by mothers who consumed chocolate daily during their pregnancies
- Increased psychological and emotional well-being amongst men who reported eating
chocolate versus other types of sweets
- Enhanced cognition, reduced cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in elderly
men and post-menopausal women who consumed 100g a day of dark chocolate
- Lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cortisol, as well as improved cellular
processing of sugar
What does the famous adage "you are what you eat" reflect? - ANSWER - The philosophy
that what we put into our bodies ultimately affects our wellbeing
- Optimum physical and emotional functioning relies on consuming the optimal nutrients
and minerals to sustain our body and brain
What does research say about understanding good nutrition? - ANSWER Nutrition
interacts with many components of the body, such as genes, athletic performance,
resistance to infection, growth, development and cognitive functioning
What is the average age of onset of mood and anxiety disorders? - ANSWER Anxiety - 6
years old
Depression - 13 years old
What do we know about western and traditional dietary patterns? - ANSWER Western -
Higher rates of mood disorders (not anxiety)
Traditional - Less likely to have mood or anxiety disorders
How does sugar impact wellbeing? - ANSWER - Excessive sugar consumption has
deleterious effects on our brain.
- Sugar shrinks areas of the brain responsible for memory and mood regulation
functions, such as the hippocampus
- Links between sugar consumption and major depression have also been found.
- The association between sugary drink consumption and depressive symptoms
increased by 5% for every sugary drink consumed. The association was also found to be
stronger in women than in men.
What does the World Health Organisation suggest for added sugar intake daily? -
ANSWER - No more than 10% of daily total energy intake
- No more than 25 grams of added sugar (6 teaspoons) will provide additional health
benefits.
- However, the average person today consumes 1.36 kg of sugar each week - that's
almost 200 grams a day!
What are the impacts of Carbohydrates on wellbeing? - ANSWER - In clinical
populations, carbohydrates enhance mood in individuals with obesity, premenstrual
syndrome, and Seasonal Affective Disorder.
- In non-clinical populations, carbohydrates (versus protein-based diets) enhance
,positive mood and energy and reduce anger, anxiety, and depression
- The explanation often offered to explain this effect, is that carbohydrates increase
tryptophan entering the brain, which then increases serotonin.
- The mechanisms by which carbohydrate consumption elevate mood remains obscure.
- Benefits to a low-carbohydrate diet.
- Unrefined carbohydrates (e.g., legumes, wholegrains, fruits and vegetables) have
numerous health benefits and are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, which plays a part
in regulating blood sugar and controlling appetite.
- Refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta are heavily processed have low
nutritional value, with many of the nutrients that are beneficial to health lost during
processing
What does the term Omega-3 refer to? - ANSWER - Three fatty acids:
1. alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
2. eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
3. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Foods such as seafood (particularly fish), flaxseed, chia seeds, and soybean are good
sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
What are the impacts of Omega-3 on wellbeing? - ANSWER - Link between depression
and low levels of Omega-3 fatty acids
- Linked to neuronal growth, enhanced mood, reduced heart disease and the delay of
dementia
- Findings on the effectiveness of fish oil supplements are mixed.
- There may be benefits to taking fish oil supplements alongside anti-depressant
medication in treating MDD, particularly for supplements that are high in EPA
- BUT a meta-analysis examining the effect of fish oil supplements on cardiovascular
disease found no significant reduction in both fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular disease
What are the impacts or fermented food on wellbeing? - ANSWER - High in good 'gut
bacteria'
- Our gut bacteria play a crucial role in both our physical and mental health
- Greater consumption of fermented foods was associated with fewer symptoms of
social anxiety.
- Probiotics supplements that improve gut bacteria improve depressive symptoms but
, it's recommended that clinical trials are needed.
What diet reduces overall mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cancer, Parkinson's and
Alzheimer's? - ANSWER Vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, and fish, with a moderate
intake of wine during meals
What diet has been shown to improve mood, increase energy, vigour and contentment -
ANSWER A 10-day Mediterranean diet
What diet do Hanson and Mendius (2009) recommend to achieve adequate nutrition and
promote good physical and psychological well-being: - ANSWER 1. Eating well every
day, with adequate fruits and vegetables, including berries, and proteins.
2. Minimising sugar, and particularly refined sugar, found in drinks and bread.
What other variables are important in our food choices other than physiological
processes? - ANSWER Social psychological variables such as our attitudes are likely to
mediate our food choices
What are the benefits of drinking coffee? - ANSWER - Drinking coffee in small doses
enhances performance, particularly when it is consumed 30 minutes before your need
for a boost.
- Antioxidants contained in coffee can have beneficial effects on brain functioning, for
example, protecting against dementia later in life
- Women who drink coffee have a 20% lowered risk of depression than non-drinkers.
- Further highlighting that our food choices can be influenced by attitudes and
expectations, there is evidence of a placebo effect in coffee consumption.
In a 2x2 experimental study, participants were allocated to a drink type
(caffeinated/decaffeinated coffee) and expectancy (told coffee was caffeinated/told
coffee was decaffeinated) condition. Results found that both consuming caffeine and
expecting to have consumed caffeine enhanced attention and psychomotor speed.
What are the benefits of chocolate? - ANSWER - Reports of more positive child
temperament by mothers who consumed chocolate daily during their pregnancies
- Increased psychological and emotional well-being amongst men who reported eating
chocolate versus other types of sweets
- Enhanced cognition, reduced cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in elderly
men and post-menopausal women who consumed 100g a day of dark chocolate
- Lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cortisol, as well as improved cellular
processing of sugar
