Healthy Eating Prevents Depression

Author: Victoria Aly Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Consumers of junk food have a 51% risk of developing depression, Spanish scientists found.

Our eating habits contribute significantly not only to our health, but also to our emotional and mental state.

According to a new Spanish study, regular consumption of junk food , such as burgers, hot dogs and pizza, increases the risk of depression.

People who eat the most harmful foods are 51% more likely to develop a mental state than those who eat infrequently or do not eat at all.

Researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Granada, Spain, observed the eating habits of 8,964 people. At the end of the study, 493 of them were diagnosed with depression.

The more junk food we consume, the greater the risk of problems with our mental state, says Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, head of the study. The reasons are still being clarified.

The results are published in the Journal of Public Health Nutrition .

Another British study also shows that a diet rich in processed and fatty foods increases the risk of depression.

The data show that this risk is 26% higher in people who focus mainly on processed foods.

However, regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and fish helps to overcome depression, experts say.

Consumption of Mediterranean type of food also improves the activity of the circulatory system, reduces inflammation and the risk of developing heart disease. The benefits are due to the content of antioxidants, unsaturated fatty acids, plant pigments, vitamins, folic acid and other nutrients in Mediterranean dishes.

Healthy Eating Prevents Depression

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