Earlier this year, British researchers reported that people who ate “junky” diets – such as the average American diet – were more likely to suffer from depression.
The UK team analyzed diet and health data collected from 3,486 men and women (average age 55.6 years).
Based on how often the participants had eaten specific amounts of various foods during the previous year, researchers categorized them as falling into one of two dietary patterns.
A “whole food” diet was defined as one dominated by vegetables, fruits and fish, while a “processed food” diet was marked by high intake of sweets, fried foods, processed meats, refined grains, and high-fat dairy products.
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Key Points
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Women who eat a typical American diet were 52 percent more likely to develop depression and 76 percent more likely to develop anxiety.
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The risk of depression or anxiety disorders was about 34 percent lower among women eating a “Traditional” Australian diet similar to American diets before WW II.
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Surprisingly, the risk of depression was 29 percent higher in women who ate a “Spa” diet.
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Compared with the Traditional Australian diet, the Western and Modern style diets were likely higher in omega-6 fats, excessive intake of which has been associated with depression.
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Five years later, the volunteers completed a questionnaire designed to measure depression symptoms.
The researchers’ analysis indicated that diets dominated by processed foods produced a greater risk of being diagnosed with depression after five years.
Conversely, the recruits whose self-reported diets were highest in whole foods were the least likely to develop signs of depression by the end of the half-decade study (Akbaraly TN et al. 2009).
Now the results of another study – this one involving only women – confirm those findings and strengthen the diet-depression connection in females.
Aussie study examines food-mood link in women
Researchers from the University of Melbourne conducted an epidemiological (diet-health) study in 1,046 female volunteers aged 20 to 93 (Jacka FN et al. 2010).
The women were followed for 10 years and answered a diet survey every other year.
Based on their responses to the surveys, the women were categorized as belonging to one of ...
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