Differences in mean daily intake of macronutrients, caffeine and water by level of mental morbidity

We investigated macronutrient, caffeine and water intake by mental morbidity level, focusing on pure and comorbid anxiety, insomnia, and eating disorders (ED). This descriptive, cross-sectional study used 2013-2017 data from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. Diet was assessed with ≥3 24-hour records; mean daily intake of total energy and % contribution of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids to total energy; total, simple, complex carbohydrates; total, animal, vegetable protein; total lipids, SFA, MUFA, PUFA; cholesterol; caffeine and water was analyzed. Data were weighted using the 2016 French Census, and ANOVA was performed (N = 23,965). Overall, men presenting all 3 mental disorders had the highest % carbohydrates and the lowest % proteins and lipids. The multimorbidity group had the highest obesity rates and caffeine intake across sex; water intake had no dose-response association with mental morbidity. The findings could help generate hypotheses regarding dietary exposures that might play a role in mental multimorbidity risk.