Psychological well-being disturbances and excess body weight: dietary-psychological interrelations
Wojciech Wiśniewski
2026-03-17
3 min. read
Psychological well-being disturbances and excess body weight: dietary-psychological interrelations
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Specialists in nutritional psychology—including clinical psychologists, dietitians, and population health researchers—emphasize the profound connections between dietary components and psychological functioning. Observations include, for instance, diminished vitality and mood deterioration linked to vitamin B12 deficiencies, as well as heightened nervous excitability and impulsive behavioral tendencies among individuals consuming excessive refined carbohydrates. Concurrently, the benefits of a well-balanced diet—particularly one enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids from the omega-3 and omega-6 families—are well-documented, as such nutrition supports enhanced concentration, emotional stability, and overall psychological well-being. These and numerous other interdependencies between dietary patterns and mental state remain a focal point of rigorous interdisciplinary investigation.
A combination of low mood and overweight
There is no definitive answer to the question of whether excess weight (or excess mood) is the first thing that people look at, but it is certain that these two factors are too often intertwined to be able to think about their own weight, which makes them more likely to develop depression. The question of this dependence is somewhat reminiscent of what was the first egg or chicken. Today, there is no clear answer to whether they were first overweight or underweight. One of the two factors is that they intertwine too often to be in a position to worry about what they need to eat.