Several Foods that May Cause Depression Worse, Study Claims
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VIVA – Some people when they are having depression will consume comfort food to ease their minds, such as eating chocolate, cake, pizza, or other junk food. But actually, these foods will make their depression worse.
A new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that depression rates are 80 percent higher in people whose diets include large amounts of ultra-processed food.
The study's authors, from Brazil's Universidade Federal de Viçosa, defined ultra-processed foods as those featuring "five or more components for the exclusive use of the food industry, such as anti-humectants, emulsifiers, and flavor simulators."
Most types of chocolate, chips, ice cream, cookies, ready-to-eat food, and sodas are sold in grocery stores.
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"The relationship between food and our mental health is complex. The Brazilian study offers another important piece in the puzzle," David Crepaz-Kea from the Mental Health Foundation in the UK, said.
"Our minds and bodies need a healthy, balanced diet, and this is something we don't get from ultra-processed foods alone. Sugary snacks and caffeinated drinks can give us a temporary boost but this is short-lived, can disrupt sleep, and impact our mental health," he added.
For the study, researchers conducted 2,572 scientific interviews with graduate and undergraduate students in Brazil about their eating and lifestyle habits every two years between 2016 and 2020.
Participants are self-reported how often they ate 144 different types of food, including ultra-processed foods like pizza and frozen chips, as well as fruits and vegetables, and how large the portions were.
They were also asked to report their body mass index, alcohol consumption, whether they smoked, how many hours they watched TV, whether they had diabetes, and whether they had previously been diagnosed with clinical depression.
During the study, 246 cases of depression were found. Those with depression included 66 men (27% of cases) and 180 women (73% of cases).
The results were broken down into four groups to differentiate the diets of the volunteers.
Those who consumed ultra-processed foods making up at least 31% of their diet daily, the worst diet, were up to 82% more likely to be diagnosed with depression during the study, compared to people who ate few ultra-processed foods, less than 16% of their daily consumption.
It should be noted that the study relied on self-reported data, so some conclusions may require further research.
People who are already depressed may be more likely to turn to processed foods, which means the study does not conclusively conclude that these foods contribute to depression.
"Many of the foods that this study suggests are associated with depression are not considered routine components of a healthy diet," explained Duane Mellor from Aston University in Birmingham, UK.
"It could be that factors associated with depression may also cause people not to eat an ideal diet. Therefore, it is still difficult to say that ultra-processed foods are strongly associated with depression.” Mellor added.
Meanwhile, another recent study found that people could be at higher risk of cognitive decline if more than 20% of their daily calorie intake came from ultra-processed foods.
In addition to cognitive decline, ultra-processed foods may be associated with an increased risk of obesity, heart and circulation problems, diabetes, cancer, and a shorter life span.
