PEOPLE WHO EAT fast food and commercial baked goods are 51 per cent more likely to develop depression compared to those who eat little or none, according to a new long-term study, reported by EurekaAlert!
Consumption of fast food (like hamburgers and pizza) as well as baked goods (like doughnuts and croissants) was linked to participants reporting a physician diagnosis of depression or the use of antidepressant medication.
Furthermore, the researchers also found that “the more fast food you consume, the greater the risk of depression,” lead author Almudena Sánchez-Villegas said in a press release.
The study, published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, consisted of 8,964 participants that had never been diagnosed with depression or taken antidepressants.
They were assessed for an average of six months, and 493 were diagnosed with depression or started to take antidepressants.
Little is known about the role that diet plays in developing depressive disorders, but previous studies suggest that certain nutrients such as group B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and olive oil have a preventative role.
Sánchez-Villegas concluded that “although more studies are necessary, the intake of this type of food should be controlled because of its implications on both health (obesity, cardiovascular diseases) and mental well-being.”
- Michael Kelley
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