Effects of acute blueberry flavonoids on mood in children and young adults

Khalid, S., Barfoot, K. L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2866-6467, May, G., Lamport, D. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4592-0439, Reynolds, S. A. and Williams, C. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4452-671X (2017) Effects of acute blueberry flavonoids on mood in children and young adults. Nutrients, 9 (2). 158. ISSN 2072-6643 doi: 10.3390/nu9020158

Abstract/Summary

Epidemiological evidence suggests that consumption of flavonoids (usually via fruits and vegetables) is associated with decreased risk of developing depression. One plausible explanation for this association is the well documented beneficial effects of flavonoids on executive function (EF). Impaired EF is linked to cognitive processes (e.g. rumination) that maintain depression and low mood, therefore, improved EF may reduce depressionogenic cognitive processes and improve mood. Study 1: 21 young adults (18-21 years) consumed a flavonoid-rich blueberry drink and a matched placebo in a counterbalanced cross-over design. Study 2: 50 children (7- 10 years) were randomly assigned to a flavonoid-rich blueberry drink or a matched placebo. In both studies participants and researchers were blind to the experimental condition and mood was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule before and 2 hours after consumption of drinks. In both studies the blueberry intervention increased positive affect (significant drink by session interaction), but had no effect on negative affect. This observed effect of flavonoids on positive affect in two independent samples is potentially of practical value in improving public health. If the effect of flavonoids on positive affect is replicated, further investigation will be needed to identify the mechanisms that link flavonoid interventions with improved positive mood.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/69054
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Anxiety and Depression in Young People (AnDY) Interdisciplinary Research Centres (IDRCs) > Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH) Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Neuroscience Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Psychopathology and Affective Neuroscience Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Nutrition and Health
Uncontrolled Keywords	Depression; Mood; Affect; Dysphoria; Cognition; Flavonoid; Blueberries; Children; Young Adults
Publisher	MDPI
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item