Are you depressed? Look at your food habits…

 

Credit: Google images

Highlights

·       Ultra-processed food contain large amount of sugars, saturated fats and calories.

·       Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with increased rate of anxiety and depression.

Mental health problems like anxiety, stress and depression are leading cause of death and their incidence is increasing with the passage of time. Various genetic and environmental factors lead to the onset of these problems and it has been found that diet can also play important role in this context. Unhealthy diet that is deficient in vital nutrients lead to increased sugar levels that are detrimental to brain health.

Unhealthy food alter brain insulin signaling that decreases the dopamine and serotonin levels and cause neuro-inflammation that ultimately affects the mood and behavior.

Eric M Hecht and his research group at University of Miami and various other American institutes revealed the role of ultra-processed food (UPF) on mental health. UPF include the industrial preparations of processed food materials (sugars, oils, starch, fats and protein isolates) having emulsifiers, flavoring and coloring agents and minimal or no whole food. Commonly used UPF include;

·       Various sugar containing drinks

·       Packed snacks

·       Processed meat items

·       Chips

·       Cereals

·       Bread

·       Cookies

·       Cakes

UPF have very low or no nutritional value, increased amount of added sugars, salts, saturated fats and calories that are harder to burn. On the other hand, UPF are devoid of fibers, minerals, proteins, phytochemicals and essential vitamins so these are unable to meet the daily dietary requirements of an active and healthy individual.

UPF are easier and faster to produce and convenient to consume therefore, becoming popular among the masses. Above 70 % of the packed food items in USA are designated as UPF and denote nearly 60 % of the total consumed calories.

Current research indicated that high consumption rate of UPF leads to increase in mild depression and anxiety. The participants that consumed larger amount of UPF spent more mentally upset and anxious days a month as compared to the control individuals. These results are supported by the previous studies which exhibited that healthy diet (Mediterranean-style diet) rich in nutrients such as nuts, vegetables, legumes, sea food, grains and olive oil is associated with lower incidence of anxiety and depression in comparison to processed and ultra-processed food.

Therefore, we should be very careful and selective in our food choices and try to consume maximum amount of natural food in order to stay away from mental health problems.

Reference

Cross-sectional examination of ultra-processed food consumption and adverse mental health symptoms (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35899785/).