Eating Fried Food Linked to Depression/Anxiety?

 

People who frequently eat fried food like french fries, have a higher risk of anxiety or depression, according to a new study. 

Specifically, the results showed that frequent fried food consumption was linked to a 12% higher risk of anxiety and 7% higher risk of depression. Males and young people were impacted the most. 

One cause could be that fried foods contain a chemical called acrylamide, which arises when some foods are cooked at very high temperatures. The researchers noted that acrylamide is linked to “anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors” related to brain inflammation. 

However, the causal pathway could just as readily go the other way: people with anxiety/depression turn to ‘comfort food’ like french fries with increasing frequency for some semblance of relief.  Thus the study might not prove causation. 

Actually, both anxiety and depression are clinical mental illnesses. Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental disorders, affecting as many as 30% of adults at some point in their lives, according to the American Psychiatric Association. 

Depression, also called major depressive disorder, affects how someone feels, thinks and acts, causing feelings of sadness or a loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed. Depression can lead to emotional and physical problems, and it affects an estimated 1 in 15 adults annually, while 1 in 6 adults will have depression during their lifetime, the association said.