Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles
Depressive symptoms may be traced back to ones diet
By Staff Writer
Not only can a proper diet benefit one’s physical health, but it may also keep them from having to enter mental health and drug rehab facilities for depression treatment. For instance, new research shows that a diet containing trans-fats and saturated fats may increase the risk of depression.
Over the course of a six-year period, researchers from the universities of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain studied the diets, lifestyles and ailments of 12,059 volunteers,
When the research began, none of the participants showed symptoms of depression. By study’s end however, 657 new cases had been detected. Of this group, those who consumed a higher amount of trans-fats, which are found in fast foods and industrially produced pastries, had a 48 percent increase in the risk of developing depression compared to individuals with a healthier diet. It was also found that the more trans-fats they consumed, the greater the potential for mental illness.
However, the researchers were also able to identify some glimmers of hope from the study. The consumption of more polyunsaturated fats, which are found in fish and vegetable oils, was found to be associated with a lower risk of depression.
