Most of us are aware of the link between nutrition and physical health or illness. What about the connection between nutrition and depression? Your food may not directly boost your mood or reduce your depressing symptoms. However, there may be a link between nutrition and mood, which is encouraging news for the over 264 million people worldwide who suffer from depression.
“Research demonstrates a relationship between eating more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods and higher mood and well-being ratings, as well as a lower risk of depression,” says Gary D. Foster, Ph.D., WW Chief Scientific Officer. According to a new study published in the journal Nutrients, persons who consumed more fruits and vegetables reported higher levels of optimism and self-efficacy. A systematic review published in the European Journal of Nutrition examined 16 studies and found that people who ate Western/unhealthy diets, such as more fast food, sweets, and sugary soft drinks, had an increased risk of developing depression, whereas those who followed a healthier eating pattern, such as a Mediterranean style diet, appeared to have a protective effect on the development of depression over time.
While eating fruits and vegetables is related to higher well-being, Foster claims that there is no real scientific evidence that eating them causes improved mood. “Rather, there is an observed relationship between eating practices and mental health,” he explains. “We simply don’t know enough right now to draw solid conclusions regarding the relationship between dietary intake and depression,” Foster adds. Furthermore, he believes that further research is needed to determine whether diets heavy in fat and sugar are associated with changes in mood and depression risk.
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