1. Exercise and Diet influence on Mental Health
Ashley Pogue
IS Proposal
May 2016

2. Background
18% of the adult population in the U.S. suffers from some type of mental illness (Bekiempis, 2014)
Most common are anxiety disorders (40 million)
Research shows that individuals suffering from a mental disorder can benefit from regular physical activity and a healthy diet

3. Background – Physical activity
Physical diseases: coronary heart disease, obesity, and diabetes and psychiatric diseases: depressive and anxiety disorders
Regular physical activity has been shown to play a very beneficial role in the treatment of mental health and well- being in the general population (Peluso & De Andrade, 2005; Fox, 1999; Gomez-Pinilla, 2008).
Endorphins (opoids) and eutrophins, change plasticity of brain - which are released by physical exercise into the CNS and cause a calming sensation and improved mood after exercise (Peluso & De Andrade, 2005; Gomez-Pinilla, 2008).
Act as a therapy by upgrading life quality: enhancing self- esteem, improving mood status, help with stress, and potentially improving sleep quality (Fox, 1999)
Aerobic and resistance exercise vs. anaerobic physical activity

4. Background – Healthy diet
Hoban et al. (2016) found that gut bacteria (microbiota) is necessary for dynamic regulation of myelin-related genes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC)
Probiotics - promote the growth of indigenous beneficial gut bacteria and have neurotropic effects (Schmidt et al., 2014).
Linked to anxiety and depression
probiotics help regulation of stress hormone, cortisol
B-vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, fish and olive oil, and Mediterranean diet
lower risk of depression
increase hippocampal BDNF
reduce oxidative stress under challenging conditions
Rats exposed to a diet high in saturated fat and sucrose, similar to junk food, showed decrease in BDNF levels in the hippocampus and deficiency in learning and memory tasks (Gomez-Pinilla, 2008).

5. How do diet and exercise influence mental health?
Examine the physiological benefits of a healthy, unprocessed diet compared to an unhealthy diet high in sugar and processed foods
How can it improve one’s mood and daily functioning?
Prove daily exercise or sport will reduce the likeliness of suffering from a mental disorder (anxiety and depression)

6. Hypotheses
With a healthy diet compared to an unhealthy diet, there will be an observed decrease in mental illness symptoms and an increase in reportings of well-being
With regular daily exercise compared to irregular or no exercise, mental illness will also be less likely among humans and reporting feelings of happiness will be more common.
IV: daily exercise and diet
DV: frequency of negative related symptoms

7. Method
Fall of 2016, survey College of Wooster students ages years
Four questionnaires:
the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12),
the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)
the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Food Frequency Questionnaire
Based on the participants’ results from the questionnaires, I will put them in one of the four groups and see how they respond to the cold pressor test
Four groups:
+ diet, + exercise
+ diet, - exercise
- diet, + exercise
- diet, - exercise.
In addition, I will be obtaining more data by surveying a variety of students at other liberal arts colleges around the area
Same questionnaires, no cold pressor test

8. Implication
Spread awareness, not just college students, but humans of all ages of the importance of living a healthy and happy lifestyle
Motivate people to care about health and well-being to show them they can find a more organic and efficient way of coping with mental illness, specifically anxiety and depression
Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental illnesses in the U.S.
new method of coping, rather than relying on medication

9. References
Bekiempis, V. (2014). Nearly 1 in 5 Americans Suffer from Mental Illness Each Year. Retrieved May 07, 2016, from  
Fox, K. (1999). The influence of physical activity on mental well-being. Public Health Nutrition PHN, 2(3a),
Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2008). The influences of diet and exercise on mental health through hormesis. Ageing Research Reviews, 7(1),  
Hoban, A., Stilling, R., Ryan, F., Shanahan, F., Dinan, T., Claesson, M., Cryan, J. (2016). Regulation of prefrontal cortex myelination by the microbiota. Translational Psychiatry Transl Psychiatry, 6(4).
Mayo Clinic. (2015). Mental illness. Retrieved May 06, 2016, from conditions/mental-illness/basics/definition/con
Peluso, M., & De Andrade, L. (2005). Physical activity and mental health: The association between exercise and mood. Clinics, 60(1),
Schmidt, K., Cowen, P., Harmer, C., Tzortzis, G., Errington, S., & Burnet, P. (2014). Prebiotic intake reduces the waking cortisol response and alters emotional bias in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology, 232(10),
Sánchez-Villegas, A., Toledo, E., Irala, J. D., Ruiz-Canela, M., Pla-Vidal, J., & Martínez-González, M. (2011). Fast-food and commercial baked goods consumption and the risk of depression. Public Health Nutr. Public Health Nutrition, 15(03),