US study finds association between large amounts of ultra-processed food, especially artificial sweeteners, and depression
Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed food, especially drinks containing artificial sweeteners, is associated with a higher risk of depression, research has found.
Despite extensive data linking ultra-processed food with physical ill health, such as strokes, heart attacks and raised blood pressure, this is the first large study to suggest that consuming ultra-processed foods and drinks, particularly those that include artificial sweeteners, could increase the instance of depression.
Using data from one of the biggest studies of women’s long-term health in the US, researchers at Massachusetts general hospital and Harvard medical school examined the diets and mental health of more than 30,000 primarily white middle-aged women between 2003 and 2017 who did not already have depression.
The authors estimated the overall extent of ultra-processed food intake as well as the type of food, such as ultra-processed grain foods, sweet snacks, ready-to-eat meals, fats and sauces, ultra-processed dairy products, savoury snacks, processed meat, beverages and artificial sweeteners.
If there’s no proof this is causal, it’s just as likely that people prone to depression eat ultra-processed foods.
Yeah, turns out when you don’t want to do anything, but you still have to eat to not die, processed food is often the only thing that comes to mind. You don’t have to shop as often, and most of it can be safely eaten without even heating it up.
Depression sucks, and there are alot of “causes” for it. I don’t expect this will actually pan out to be one of them. But it’s always best to check anyway.