Highly processed foods may increase risk of depression

[New Sancai Compilation First Release] Highly processed packaged foods and drinks may be fast, cheap and delicious, but new research suggests they may also increase the risk of depression.

New research has found that the risk of depression may be increased by 50% among frequent eaters of highly processed foods, especially when these foods contain artificial sweeteners.

"Given what we know about these foods and the important role diet plays in mood, we are not surprised by this association," said study author M.D., associate chief of gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Professor of Medicine Andrew. Dr. Andrew Chan said.

The problem, he said, lies in foods that are "often highly modified through industrial processes such as hydrogenation."

Hydrogenation is a chemical manufacturing process that can significantly increase the amount of trans fat in foods. Researchers have repeatedly found a correlation between trans fat intake and an increased risk of heart disease.

The study looked at "highly processed" cereals, sweetened snacks, ready-to-eat meals, desserts, sauces, processed dairy products, salty snacks, processed meats, beverages and artificial sweeteners.

Chen added that such foods "often also contain additives such as colorings, stabilizers and emulsifiers. Examples include most so-called ready-to-eat foods such as snacks, desserts and chips."

Because other studies have shown that diet affects depression risk, Chen and his colleagues looked specifically at the impact that processed foods may have on depression risk.

They surveyed nearly 32,000 middle-aged women who participated in the Nursing Health Study II between 2003 and 2017. All were initially thought to be free of depression. 95% of participants were white women between the ages of 42 and 62.

At the end of the study, more than 2,100 women had been diagnosed with depression, a number that would have more than doubled if less stringent screening criteria had been used.

The study found that women who consumed the top 20% of highly processed foods also appeared to have a 50% higher risk of depression.

Chen noted that people with depression may gravitate towards highly processed foods, but he said the design of the study made it unlikely that our findings were due to depression itself causing people to make different food choices.

While the study shows a link between highly processed foods and depression, it doesn't prove causation.

Only the amount of artificial sweeteners in food or drinks was associated with an increased risk of depression.

"The more processed foods you eat every day, the greater your risk of depression," Chen said.

But the study found that those who cut back on their intake of highly processed foods by at least three servings a day for four years appeared to reduce their risk of depression.

As for how these foods increase the risk of depression, the research team said the exact mechanism remains unclear.

However, Chen noted, "Highly processed foods are associated with chronic inflammation, which in turn can lead to a variety of potential adverse health effects, including depression."

Highly processed foods also damage gut microbes, which metabolize to produce reactive proteins that affect mood in the brain, he said.

"Given the link between highly processed foods and a variety of adverse health conditions, individuals will want to limit their intake of these foods as much as possible," advises Chen. "This may be a lifestyle change that can have important benefits, Especially for those suffering from mental health issues."

Connie., a St. Louis nutrition consultant and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Connie Diekman reviews this discovery.

"Many studies have tried to identify the root causes of depression, and the results often show a correlation, especially among women," she said. "Hormones, family and work, finances, nutrition and many other factors all play a role. use."

Dickman noted that a poor diet or nutritional imbalance can affect brain and mental health. But determining the specific role played by ultra-processed foods and artificial sweeteners is difficult, she added.

"Most studies can't tell how a single food or nutrient affects overall health, rather than the quality of the overall diet that includes those foods," Dickman said. "If a single food of limited nutritional quality replaces a nutrient-dense food, that's problematic. It may be caused by poor overall diet quality rather than individual foods.”

"Since the cause is uncertain, we need to focus on meeting nutritional needs first. Then we can see where else we might need to change," Dickman advises.

The findings were published in JAMA Network Open on September 20.

(Compiled by: Wang Huiming)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: First published by Xinsancai)