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May raise the risk of depression
- Eating lots of ultraprocessed foods — which are high in sugar, salt, fat and additives — may raise the risk of depression, a new study suggests.
www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/ultraprocessed-foods-may-raise-depression-risksUltraprocessed foods may raise depression risks - Harvard Health
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are popular in the United States. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the health impact of UPF. This study is conducted to assess the association between UPF consumption and depressive symptoms ...
Jun 4, 2021 · Processed meat. Seeking help. Takeaway. Fast food, alcohol, energy drinks, and certain other foods and beverages may make depression symptoms worse. Talk therapy and medication are...
- Chantelle Pattemore
- Fruit Juice. The fiber in whole fruit fills you up and slows down how your blood takes in energy. Without that fiber, you’re just drinking nutritious sugar-water that can quickly hype you up -- and bring you down just as fast.
- Regular Soda. There's no win for you here: It has all of the blood-spiking sugar of fruit juice with none of the nutrition. Sugar-sweetened drinks like soda have a direct link to depression, too.
- Diet Soda. No sugar, so no problem, right? Not exactly. You may not have the energy crash that comes with having too much sugar, but diet soda may make you depressed.
- Toast. Wait, toast?! If it's made from white bread, yes. The highly processed white flour it's made from quickly turns to blood sugar after you eat it.
- Overview
- Studying how ultra-processed foods are linked to depression risk
- Why ultra-processed foods might increase depression risk
- Tips for reducing the amount of ultra-processed foods that you eat
- Takeaway
•A new study has found a link between ultra-processed foods and increased depression risk.
•In particular, artificial sweeteners were associated with depression.
•It isn’t clear why this link exists, but artificial sweeteners might trigger purinergic transmission in the brain.
•Factors like a disrupted gut microbiome or nutrient deficiencies might also play a more general role.
•Taking control of your food preparation and reading labels can help reduce your intake of these foods.
We’ve all heard the saying “You are what you eat,” meaning that good nutrition is vital to our physical health. However, new research published in JAMA Network Open has added evidence that this phrase also applies to our mental health.
The study participants were middle-aged women who took part in the Nurses’ Health Study II, a large study looking into the risk factors for major chronic diseases in women. Nearly 32,000 individuals were included. These women did not have depression at the outset of the study.
The women filled out food frequency questionnaires every 4 years from 2003 to 2017.
To estimate how much ultra-processed food they were eating, the researchers used the NOVA system, which groups foods according to how processed they are.
Ultra-processed foods, according to the NOVA system, are ready-to-eat foods made mostly or entirely from foods and food additives that have little, if any, intact whole foods.
These ultra-processed foods were then further divided into categories, such as fats and sauces, processed meats, or beverages.
Those who had been diagnosed with depression and/or who were using antidepressants for their symptoms were considered to have depression.
When asked for his thoughts on why ultra-processed foods might be associated with increased depression risk, Dr. Daniel Atkinson, GP Clinical Lead at Treated, who was not involved in the study, responded, “The truth is, we don’t know.”
Atkinson went on to explain that it can be difficult to develop a clear picture of what the link is. “This is because ‘ultra-processed’ is, scientifically speaking, quite a vague and broad term,” he said, “which encompasses a wide range of foods and ingredients.”
Atkinson added that there are also external factors as well as the fact that just because there is a statistical association, that doesn’t necessarily mean that one thing caused the other. For example, people who are stressed tend to reach for what’s easiest, which is processed foods. So, it might not be the food itself, but instead the fact that these people are already prone to depression.
“The study, however, did seem to account well for many of these concerns, so the suggestion of causality in this case does seem to be quite credible,” he said.
One speculative reason that ultra-processed foods are linked to depression, according to Atkinson, is that ultra-processed foods disrupt the gut’s microbiome. Gut health plays an important role in healthy cognitive function so a disrupted microbiome could have an adverse effect on mood.
Atkinson said that it is also worth noting that diets high in ultra-processed foods are more deficient in nutrients than those that are less processed, such as the Mediterranean diet.
Catherine Gervacio, a Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian and Certified Exercise Nutrition Coach, says there are some simple and practical steps you can take to make healthier choices and reduce the amount of processed foods that you are consuming.
“One of which is to always check out the ingredients list of products,” she said. “Before buying packaged foods, carefully read the ingredients list and choose those that have a smaller number of ingredients. Limit or avoid those that contain preservatives, additives, and artificial sweeteners.”
Gervacio also suggests making your own meals at home so you can control the ingredients that are going into them.
“It also minimizes the chances of using processed sugars and seasonings which are often used in convenience foods,” she explained.
Finally, she advises the importance of consuming everything in moderation.
“Processed foods are everywhere and it is inevitable to take them once in a while,” she said. “The key here is to consume them occasionally and aim to still prepare a healthy diet prepared from natural ingredients.”
A new study has found a link between ultra-processed foods and increased depression risk.
In particular, artificial sweeteners were associated with depression.
It isn’t clear why this link exists, but artificial sweeteners might trigger purinergic transmission in the brain.
Factors like a disrupted gut microbiome or nutrient deficiencies might also play a more general role.
Sep 20, 2023 · Increasing evidence suggests that diet may influence risk of depression. 1 - 3 Despite extensive data linking ultraprocessed foods (UPF; ie, energy-dense, palatable, and ready-to-eat items) with human disease, 4 evidence examining the association between UPF consumption and depression is scant.
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Apr 4, 2024 · Researchers say the consumption of ultra-processed food may indirectly promote depression through several mechanisms, including nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, and an imbalance of the gut microbiota, along with blood-sugar fluctuations and food chemicals.
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related to: Are processed foods causing depressive symptoms?Ask Your Doctor About This Option to Treat Symptoms of Major Depression. Learn More Here. Watch a Video To Learn More About This Treatment, Explore What To Expect After Treatment.
Help Your Doctor Better Understand Your Symptoms & See If This Add-On Treatment May Help. Take The Symptom Questionnaire & Share The Results With Your Doctor.
