New research claims low-calorie diets increase risk of depression
Mia Williams
Featured Image Credit: Jena Ardell/Getty Images
A new study has revealed a surprising connection between consuming a low-calorie diet and suffering from depression - with findings different to any conducted before.
If there's one thing we know about exercising and getting fitter - it improves our mental health.
Countless studies have showcased the benefits that exercise can have on our mood, releasing happy endorphins and all that good stuff.
But it seems that eating a low-calorie diet might not have the same impact on our brain, despite prior studies suggesting differently.
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Researchers in Canada have revealed the results of their latest trial, which attempted to find a connection between eating a low-calorie diet and suffering with depression.
The researchers studied 28,525 participants who took part in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The survey related to depressive symptoms, which gave them a score based on the severity of their feelings.
Of those who took part,14,329 were women and 14,196 were men.
As well as this, just under 8% of participants had reported depressive symptoms, while 33% were overweight and 38% were obese.
A large majority of the group (87%) were not restricting their diet in anyway, while 2,206 were restricting and tracking their calorie intake.
According to the experts, scores for depressive symptoms, such as a low mood, low energy and sleep disturbances, were higher among those restricting calories compared to those who reported not being on a diet at all.
The scores were also higher among overweight people following low-calorie diets.
While researchers acknowledged that the outcome of their study was different to those that had been done previously, they explained the flaws in other trials.
They said: "Numerous studies have consistently focused on 'healthy' versus 'unhealthy' diets.
"They have shown that 'healthy' diets rich in minimally processed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins and fish have been linked to a lower risk of depression."
The experts added: "In contrast, an 'unhealthy' diet dominated by ultra-processed foods, refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, processed meats and sweets is associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms.
"Therefore, individuals must adopt a perfectly healthy dietary pattern to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms. This dichotomy fails to capture the complexity of real-world eating habits."
They noted that 'real-life calorie-restricted diets', which is what some of their participants were following, can result in a decrease in 'protein, essential vitamins and minerals'.
As a result, this can lead to 'depressive symptomatology including cognitive-affective symptoms', which they found during the study.