Diets high in fat and sugar are linked to impulsiveness in people with borderline personality disorder
Adults with borderline personality disorder who ate more foods high in fat and sugar tended to be more impulsive and took more risks on a gambling task, though their diets were unrelated to overall symptom severity.
A study published in Nutritional Psychiatry found that adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD) who consumed higher amounts of foods rich in saturated fat and added sugar displayed more impulsiveness and risk-taking behavior. This research, conducted by Sophie Boutouis and Jon E. Grant from the University of Chicago, analyzed 57 participants who were enrolled in a clinical trial for BPD treatment.
None of the participants were excluded based on other mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The participants had an average age of 32, with 72% being women and the majority identifying as white. Upon examining their dietary habits using the Dietary Fat and Free Sugar – Short Questionnaire, researchers discovered that those who ate more foods high in saturated fat and added sugar tended to make riskier decisions on a gambling task, indicating greater impulsiveness.
However, the study did not find a direct link between diet and overall BPD symptom severity. The authors suggest that further research is needed to explore whether improving nutrition could lead to reductions in BPD symptoms and to examine potential causal relationships, as the study's cross-sectional design cannot establish causality.
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