In a recent study published in the Public Health Nutrition Journal, the negative effect of eating fast food has been verified yet again. Researchers at the University of Granada and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria found that eating a diet high in fast food can lead to increased symptoms of depression.
Fast Food and Depression
Depression is an illness that effects more than 121 million people worldwide. The published study found a 51 percent increased chance of developing depression in people who consume diets with large amounts of fast foods and processed baked goods. In fact, the study discovered that not only does eating fast food and commercially prepared baked goods increase your chances of developing depression, but the more you eat of these products, the higher your chances of developing depression increase too.
Common symptoms of depression include changes in appetite, disturbed sleeping, changes in sleeping habits, depressed mood, thoughts of suicide, feelings of hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, tearfulness and social withdrawal, just to name a few. Although situational depression is a normal response to challenging life events, if there is no clear reason for depression, it may be due to diet and poor nutrition.
Once again, research has indicated that a healthy diet is the best option when it comes to foods. Eating a diet that is high in healthy proteins, such as fish, poultry, nuts and legumes is better than eating a burger every night for dinner. If you have to grab fast food for dinner, choose a salad and skip the fatty, creamy salad dressing. You will feel better in so many ways if you make fast food a rare occasion instead of your dietary norm.
– The Alternative Daily