The study, conducted by scientists at the University of London, analyzed data from nearly 3,500 public employees with an average age of 55. Each participant completed a questionnaire about their eating habits and self-analysis about their risk of depression, and these data were compared with five years after the depression levels of participants.
“Our findings suggest that consuming fruits, vegetables and fish may protect against the development of depressive symptoms,” say the authors in the Brisith Journal of Psychiatry (British Journal of Psychiatry).
“However, a diet rich in processed meats, chocolate, sugary desserts, fried foods, refined grains and high-fat dairy products may increase people’s vulnerability to disease,” they add.
Important differences
In the study, participants were divided into two groups: those who consumed a diet based on whole foods, including fruits, vegetables and fish, and those who ate mostly processed food.
After taking into account factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity levels, smoking and chronic diseases, scientists have found a significant difference between the two diets and the risk of depression in the future.
Those who ate mostly whole foods showed a future depression risk 26% lower than those who ate less whole foods.
However, those who ate a diet high in processed foods showcased at risk of contracting the disease 58% higher than those who ate very few processed foods.
A few weeks ago, another study in Spain showed that people who ate the so-called Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish were 30% lower risk of developing depression.
