(www.neomundo.com.ar/_SINC) consumption of industrial pastry (muffins, Croissant, doughnuts and similar) and fast food (hamburgers, sausages and pizza) is associated with the medical diagnosis of depression, according to a recent research led by scientists from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University of Navarra.
The results, published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, reveal that consumers of fast food present an increased risk of developing depression of 51% for those with minimal or no, consumption.
In addition, a relationship observed dose-response, i.e., “how much more fast food consumed, the greater the risk of depression”, explains Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, first author of the study.
The work exposes the participants with higher intake of fast food and industrial pastries are more likely to be single, be less active and have a dietary pattern worse, with one lower consumption of fruit, nuts, fish, vegetables and olive oil.
Smoking and work more than 45 hours per week are other characteristics prevalent in this group.
A long-term study
With regard to the consumption of invoices and pastry, the data are equally conclusive. “even small consumption is associated with a risk significantly greater develop depression”, points out the Canary University researcher.
The sample of the study, belonging to the project follow-up University of Navarra (SUN), numbered 8.964 participants who had never been diagnosed with depression or had referred to consumption of antidepressants. They were assessed during an average of six years, period in which 493 were diagnosed with depression or began to take antidepressants.
These new data corroborate the results the project SUN threw in 2011, published in a timely manner in the journal PLoS One. On that occasion, they analyzed 12.059 people for more than six years and appeared 657 new cases of depression.
Was detected an increase of the risk associated with the junk food of 42%, lower than in the current work.
“Although further studies are needed, control should be the consumption of this type of food due to their involvement in health (obesity, cardiovascular disease) physically and mentally”, concludes Sánchez-Villegas.
The diet in MENTAL health
Depression affects 121 million people worldwide, making it one of the main causes of global disability-adjusted life years and the leading cause in high-income countries and media.
, However, little is known about the role of diet in the development of depressive disorders. Previous studies have suggested a preventive role of certain nutrients, such as vitamins of the B group, omega-3 fatty acids and olive oil. Also, a healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet, has been linked to a lower risk of depression.
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