Fatty and refined foods, or a diet of processed foods, worsen the risk of depression by as much as 58 percent. This is the conclusion of a recent study conducted by British scientists on 3,500 adults over a period of five years.

The findings show that ‘those who ate mainly fried, processed, refined, high-fat foods had a 58% greater risk of depression than those who ate the least. And those who consumed mostly whole foods, produce, and fish showed a 26% lower risk than those who consumed the least of those foods.’ Additionally, ‘people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression,’ according to the research team from the University College London.

According to Dr. Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, “The UK population is consuming less nutritious, fresh produce and more saturated fats and sugars.” He adds, “This study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health. Major studies like this are crucial because they hold the key to us better understanding mental illness.”

“Physical and mental health are closely related, so we should not be too surprised by these results, but we hope there will be further research which may help us to understand more fully the relationship between diet and mental health,” said Margaret Edwards, head of strategy at the mental health charity SANE.

Image

Via BBC