Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity and sleep, high average sitting time, and poor dietary habits negatively impact mental health.

(George et al., 2022)

People with psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety are often treated with medication or psychotherapy. Although these treatments can be very effective for some people, some individuals don’t show improvements after treatment.

George et al., 2022 a cross-sectional and prospective cohort study, analyzed data from 267,153 Australian adults ages 45 and older (average age of 61) to look for an association between psychological distress and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. 

The participants were given a score based on their unhealthy behavior, which included eight categories (physical activity, sitting time, sleep duration, processed meat consumption, vegetable, fruit, and alcohol consumption, and smoking status).

Compared to those who did not have any unhealthy behaviors, those who reported two or more instances of these were more prone to experiencing psychological distress at baseline. Additionally, the participants with five or more unhealthy behaviors at baseline assessment showed significantly higher odds of developing psychological distress at 3-6 year follow-up.

Reference:

George ES, Davidson I, El Masri A, Meade T, Kolt GS. Unhealthy Lifestyle Behaviours and Psychological Distress: A Longitudinal Study of Australian Adults Aged 45 Years and Older. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr