Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, polyunsaturated fats, and fish and positive psychological well-being in older adults: A cross-sectional analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

Objectives

Research has linked diet to negative psychological states, but its influence on positive psychological well-being remains understudied. This study assessed the association between dietary intake of fruits and vegetables (F&V), polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), and fish on three domains of positive well-being: eudemonic, happiness, and life satisfaction in middle-aged and older adults.

Design

A cross-sectional analytical sample of 3013 participants from Wave 9 (2018/19) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

Methods

Multivariate linear regression assessed the association between diet and positive psychological well-being, adjusted for covariates including total energy intake, age, gender, ethnicity, wealth, education, living alone, social isolation, limiting long-standing illness, and depressive symptoms.

Results

In minimally adjusted models, F&V and fish intake were positively associated with all three domains of well-being, while PUFAs intake was positively associated with eudemonic well-being and happiness, but not life satisfaction. The positive associations between F&V intake and eudemonic well-being, and between fish intake and happiness, remained significant in all models (β = .043, 95% CI [.037, .212], p = .005; β = .033, 95% CI [.011, .243], p = .032, respectively), whereas others became non-significant after adjusting for certain covariates.

Conclusions

Diet may be associated with positive psychological well-being in middle-aged and older adults. Increasing dietary intake of F&V, PUFAs, and fish could support well-being and may be encouraged through public or private initiatives aimed at making healthy diets accessible and affordable. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the influence of diet on well-being over time.