Depression related to binge eating, food addiction, obesity
Ultraprocessed foods linked to depression, study finds nbcnews.com (Sept 20, 2023) by Kaitlin Sullivan — Women who consumed nine servings of ultraprocessed food each day were more likely to develop depression than those who consumed no more than four servings. Consuming large amounts of ultraprocessed foods may be linked to depression, research published Wednesday found. … more
Artificially sweetened ultraprocessed foods linked to depression in women, study finds CNN (Sept 20, 2023) by Sandee LaMotte, CNN — Eating greater amounts of ultraprocessed food and drinks, especially if those items are artificially sweetened, may be linked to the development of depression, according to a new study. … more
Does depression cause obesity or does obesity cause depression? MNT Medical News Today (Nov 13, 2018) by Tim Newman – Although depression and obesity often come hand in hand, the relationship between the two is difficult to tease apart. A new, large-scale genomic study adds new evidence. … more
The Strange Link Between Junk Food and Depression Time Magazine (June 29, 2015) by Mandy Oaklander – Some — but not all—sugars were associated with depressive disorders. Of our many modern diseases, one of the biggest burdens on society is an unexpected one: depression, according to the World Health Organization. And what we eat may be contributing, finds a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. more …
Can what you eat affect your mental health? New research links diet and the mind. The Washington Post (Mar 24, 2014) by Gisela Telis – Jodi Corbitt had been battling depression for decades and by 2010 had resigned herself to taking antidepressant medication for the rest of her life. Then she decided to start a dietary experiment. To lose weight, the 47-year-old Catonsville, Md., mother stopped eating gluten, a protein found in wheat and related grains. Within a month she had shed several pounds — and her lifelong depression. More …
Obesity, depression linked in teen girls, new study shows. ScienceDaily (Mar 21, 2014) – Depression and obesity have long been associated, but how they relate over time is less clear. New research shows that adolescent females who experience one of the disorders are at a greater risk for the other as they get older. It is unknown why no associations across time between the two disorders were found in male adolescents, but researchers hypothesize that it could be a result of different developmental processes leading to obesity and depression in males and females. More …
Diet soda linked to depression, finds study The Toronto Star (Jan. 9, 2013) – Drinking more than four sweetened beverages a day doesn’t appear to be good for one’s mood, especially diet soda, a study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health found. In a study of more than 200,000 older adults, those who drank more than four cans of soda a day had a 30 per cent greater risk of depression than those who consumed none. The same amount of fruit punch was tied to a 38 per cent higher risk, according to research released today by the American Academy of Neurology. The risk was even greater for people who consumed diet drinks, whether soda, punch or iced tea. Link
Obesity gene may help protect against depression: Obesity perceptions challenged CBC News (Nov 20, 2012) –The search for genes predisposing people to depression has taken an unexpected twist, according to Canadian researchers who found a clue in an obesity gene. Studies on families and twins suggest depression has a genetic component, but for 15 years, scientists haven’t been able to find genes associated with the illness. Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., took a different approach by testing how obesity genes may be linked with depression. Link
How stress and depression can shrink the brain ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2012) — Major depression or chronic stress can cause the loss of brain volume, a condition that contributes to both emotional and cognitive impairment. Now a team of researchers led by Yale scientists has discovered one reason why this occurs — a single genetic switch that triggers loss of brain connections in humans and depression in animal models. Link
Obesity, depression found to be root causes of daytime sleepiness ScienceDaily (June 13, 2012) — Wake up, America, and lose some weight — it’s keeping you tired and prone to accidents. Three studies being presented June 13 at sleep 2012 conclude that obesity and depression are the two main culprits making us excessively sleepy while awake. Link
Vicious cycle of over-eating and feeling depressed explained ScienceDaily (May 23, 2012) — Fat Bastard’s revelation “I eat because I’m depressed and I’m depressed because I eat” in the Austin Powers film series may be explained by sophisticated neuroscience research being undertaken by scientists affiliated with the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CR-CHUM) and the university’s Faculty of Medicine. “In addition to causing obesity, rich foods can actually cause chemical reactions in the brain in a similar way to illicit drugs, ultimately leading to depression as the ‘come-downs’ take their toll,” explain lead researcher, Dr. Stephanie Fulton. Link
Depression symptoms increase over time for addiction-prone women ScienceDaily (Feb. 20, 2011) — Unlike alcohol problems and antisocial behavior, depression doesn’t decline with age in addiction-prone women in their 30s and 40s — it continues to increase, a new study led by University of Michigan Health System researchers found. Link
Study links trans fats to depression Toronto Star (Jan. 26, 2011) by Kate Allen – The more trans fats a healthy person consumes, the higher the risk of developing depression, new research suggests. A Spanish study, published Wednesday in the online peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE, followed 12,000 individuals over an average of six years, and in some cases as many as 10. All were initially depression-free…The researchers discovered the biggest consumers of unhealthy trans fats were 48 per cent more likely to develop depression than those with the lowest intake of those fats, which are most commonly found in processed foods and have been linked to coronary heart disease, obesity and other health problems. Link
Why antidepressants don’t work for treating depression Huffington Post (Apr. 24, 2010) by Mark Hyman, MD – Here’s some depressing recent medical news: Antidepressants don’t work. What’s even more depressing is that the pharmaceutical industry and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have deliberately deceived us into believing that they DO work. As a physician, this is frightening to me. Depression is among the most common problems seen in primary-care medicine and soon will be the second leading cause of disability in this country. Link
Heavy kids, heavy emotions: Shame, stress and depression often spur further weight gain nbcnews.com (Feb. 14, 2010) by Jeanna Bryner – The ballooning waistlines of children hit the spotlight when Michelle Obama admitted publicly her daughters had an unhealthy body mass index. And while many urge kids to slim down to avoid heart disease and other physical ailments, the emotional consequences from teasing and low self-esteem could be just as debilitating, scientists say. Link
Intense sweets taste especially good to some kids ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2010) — New research from the Monell Center reports that children’s response to intense sweet taste is related to both a family history of alcoholism and the child’s own self-reports of depression. The findings illustrate how liking for sweets differs among children based on underlying familial and biological factors. Link
Is your junk food habit making you depressed? Processed food can bring down your mood, a new study finds nbcnews.com (Jan. 15, 2010) by Megan Othersen Gorman— A study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry makes a strong case that processed junk food can trigger or contribute to depression, while eating whole and healthy food seems protective. British and French epidemiologists analyzed food and mood data from 3,486 men and women (average age 55) in the Whitehall II study on London-based office staff. Link
Integrative mental health: A new model for depression relief Huffingtonpost.com (Nov. 18, 2009) by Dr. Andrew Weil — The World Health Organization has predicted that by 2030, more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem. Yet of all the dysfunctions of modern medicine, the way we treat depression may be the worst …a complex, multifaceted problem is frequently treated with an oversimplified, expensive therapy that, sadly, is often ineffective. Link
Brain chemical reduces anxiety, increases survival of new cells ScienceDaily (May 13, 2009) — New research on a brain chemical involved in development sheds light on why some individuals may be predisposed to anxiety. It also strengthens understanding of cellular processes that may be common to anxiety and depression, and suggests how lifestyle changes may help overcome both. Link
Depression linked with accumulation of visceral fat ScienceDaily (Apr. 29, 2009) — Numerous studies have shown that depression is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, but exactly how has never been clear. Now, researchers at Rush University Medical Center have shown that depression is linked with the accumulation of visceral fat, the kind of fat packed between internal organs at the waistline, which has long been known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Link
Early brain marker for familial form of depression: Structural changes in brain’s cortex ScienceDaily (Mar. 26, 2009) — Findings from one of the largest-ever imaging studies of depression indicate that a structural difference in the brain – a thinning of the right hemisphere – appears to be linked to a higher risk for depression, according to new research at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Link
Salt might be ‘nature’s antidepressant’ ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2009) — Most people consume far too much salt, and a University of Iowa researcher has discovered one potential reason we crave it: it might put us in a better mood. Link
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