A study conducted in Australia has identified a link between dietary habits and mental health outcomes in adolescents, suggesting that increased fruit consumption may reduce the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, while higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages may have the opposite effect.

Researchers from the University of Sydney followed 6,537 teenagers from 71 secondary schools located in New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia over a four-year period. The participants, who were about 12.5 years old at the outset, were monitored to assess how their eating and drinking patterns correlated with mental health changes during adolescence.

The findings indicated that each additional serving of fruit consumed daily was associated with a 13 percent reduction in the likelihood of exhibiting symptoms of depression and a 7 percent reduction in anxiety symptoms. Throughout the study, the average daily fruit intake among the adolescents ranged between two and 2.5 servings.

In contrast, higher consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks—including soft drinks, cordials, and sports beverages—was linked to an increased risk of developing symptoms related to both depression and anxiety.

The research adds to growing evidence that dietary choices during adolescence may play a significant role in mental well-being and highlights the potential benefits of promoting fruit consumption while reducing the intake of sugary drinks among young people.