Which age group is most likely to cite improving mental health as one of the top three reasons for dieting?

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Last updated: October 22, 2026 • View editorial policy

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The Evidence Does Not Support Any of the Listed Age Groups

The provided evidence does not contain data specifically identifying which population group cites "improving mental health" as one of the top three reasons for dieting. None of the studies or guidelines presented directly address the motivations or stated reasons for why different age groups choose to diet, particularly with mental health improvement as a primary goal.

What the Evidence Actually Shows

The available research demonstrates associations between diet quality and mental health outcomes across age groups, but this is fundamentally different from examining why people choose to diet:

Adolescents (13-18 years)

  • The guidelines focus on dieting as a risk factor for both obesity and eating disorders 1
  • Adolescents who diet are 18 times more likely to develop eating disorders and have increased risk of weight gain 1
  • Studies show diet quality correlates with mental health outcomes in adolescents 2, 3, 4, 5, but these examine the effect of diet on mental health, not the motivation for dieting

Young Adults (18-24 years)

  • No evidence provided addresses this age group's stated reasons for dieting
  • One study examined vegan versus omnivorous diets in African American adults 18-65 years but focused on outcomes, not motivations 6

Older Adults (40-65 years and >65 years)

  • The evidence provided contains no information about these age groups' reasons for dieting

Critical Distinction

The research shows that better diet quality is associated with improved mental health across adolescent populations, but this does not mean adolescents are dieting for mental health reasons. In fact, the guidelines explicitly warn that dieting in adolescents is counterproductive and harmful 1.

Clinical Implication

If you are trying to determine which age group is most health-conscious about the mental health benefits of nutrition, the evidence suggests that awareness of diet-mental health connections may be growing among adolescents and young adults based on recent research focus 2, 3, 4, but this does not translate to documented motivations for dieting behavior.

To answer this question accurately, you would need survey data specifically asking different age groups about their reasons for dieting—data that is not present in the provided evidence.

References

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