IMPACTOS DAS ESCOLHAS NUTRICIONAIS NA ESTABILIDADE EMOCIONAL E NOS TRANSTORNOS CONTEMPORÂNEOS

Abstract

Mental health has established itself as one of the greatest contemporary challenges, with depression and anxiety among the leading causes of global disability. In this context, nutrition emerges as a relevant factor for emotional balance, as nutrients and dietary patterns influence neurobiological and social processes related to well-being. This study aims to analyze how healthy eating influences mental health, highlighting biological mechanisms, the impacts of inadequate diets, and the role of food insecurity.This is an integrative literature review, exploratory and descriptive in nature, conducted between 2013 and 2025 in databases such as SciELO, PubMed, LILACS, BDENF, and Google Scholar, including reviews, observationalstudies, and clinical trials that linked diet and emotional outcomes, and excluding case reports and research not directly focused on mental health. The evidence reviewed indicated that dietary patterns rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc are associated with better mood self- regulation, while diets based on ultra-processed foods and free sugars are associated with worse emotional outcomes. Clinical trials also suggest that dietary interventions can act as adjuvants in the management of anxiety-depressive symptoms. The conclusion is that healthy eating is a modifiable, low-cost factor with the potential to protect mental health. Its inclusion in multidisciplinary care practices and the encouragement of longitudinal studies are crucial.