Women who suffer from depression and anxiety should take a close look at their diet, Australian researchers suggest.

Showing once more that you are what you eat, the findings of a new study reveal that eating junk food not only plays havoc with your figure - it also has negative effects on the mind.

Women who ate primarily processed, refined, high-fat foods over ten years were more likely to have mood disorders, according to Dr Felice N Jacka and her team at the University of Melbourne.

"There's no magic diet," Dr Jacka said, urging women to eat a diet mainly of vegetables, fruit, whole-grain foods, low-fat dairy products and lean meat.

Processed foods and sweet treats should be reserved for "sometimes foods", she added.

Reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the research revealed that eating healthily can aid physical health and support mental well-being.

A diet consisting of primarily hamburgers, white bread, pizza, chips, beer and sugar-laden food was associated with more than a 50 per cent greater likelihood of depressive disorders.

Conversely, depression and anxiety disorders were around a third less likely among women who ate a more traditional Australian diet of fruits, vegetables, beef, lamb, fish and whole-grain foods.

The researchers are now calling for more studies on the relationship between diet and mental health.

Concept2 advises the use of the Nutracheck Weight Loss online food diary to keep track of eating habits.

It points out that keeping a record of what you eat works by making you more aware of your habits, focusing attention on the problem areas.

"Understanding the balance between calorie intake and exercise is the key to successful and sustainable weight loss."

Tim Bergman