Depressed? It May Be Your Diet of High Fat, Processed Foods, Study Finds

If you are depressed, the reason may be what you are eating, according a new study from British researchers.

Diets that are high in processed and fatty foods like fried food, dairy products, and sugary desserts increase the risks of developing depression, while eating plenty of “whole foods” such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish can prevent the onset of depression, the study found.

Researchers from University College London found people with diets heavy in processed foods were 58 percent more likely to develop depression. To the contrary, people with healthier diets based on whole foods had a 26 percent lower risk of depression.

“Our research suggests that healthy eating policies will generate additional benefits to health and well-being, and that improving people’s diet should be considered as a potential target for preventing depressive disorders,” the authors wrote in the study.

Various Theories for Depression Link

For the study, scientists focused on 3,486 people with an average age of 55 who were civil servants in London. Participants were asked to fill out questionnaires about their eating habits and level of depression.

The research team has several theories for why depression may be linked to diet.

One idea is that high levels of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables may help guard the body against the forces that lead to depression, since earlier research has found increased antioxidant levels can help lower depression.

Also, polyunsaturated fatty acids which trigger brain activity are found in higher levels in fish and may likewise help stay off depression, the researchers said.

The whole food diet may be beneficial in preventing the onset of depression because people consume nutrients from many different sources rather than from a single nutrient, the study’s authors said.

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