Sugary diets may increase risk of depression, study finds

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

People who prefer sweet foods and drinks may be at a greater risk of experiencing depression, a new study has found. The research, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, concluded that individuals with a “sweet tooth” had a 31% higher likelihood of depression compared to those who preferred healthier options.

The study analysed data from the UK Biobank, a large database that includes health and lifestyle information from more than 500,000 participants aged 40 to 69 years.

For this study, the research focused on 180,000 individuals who completed a detailed Food Preference Questionnaire in 2019. The questionnaire asked participants to rate their preference for 140 food items—such as fruits, vegetables, meats, sweets, and drinks —on a scale ranging from extreme dislike to extreme like. READ NEXT: Mum of Brit, 28, arrested minutes before Manchester Airport flight home breaks silence as daughter faces jail The researchers, from the University of Surrey, then categorised participants into three food preference profiles based on their questionnaire responses - ‘Health-conscious’, who favoured fruits, vegetables, and healthier food options, ‘Omnivores’, who ate a broad range of foods, including meats, fish, and some sweets, and ‘Sweet tooth’, who had a strong preference for sugary foods and drinks along with a lower interest in healthier foods like vegetables and fruits.

The researchers also analysed health outcomes and biological markers in blood samples from the participants - examining how each food preference profile was associated with conditions such as depression, diabetes, strokes, and other chronic diseases.