Fried foods are associated with increased risk of anxiety and depression

CNN
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French fries — Fatty and starchy, they are a comfort food for many people.

But reaching for fried foods can have a negative impact on your mental health.

Researchers in Hangzhou, China, found that people who frequently ate fried foods, especially French fries, had a 12% higher risk of anxiety and a 7% higher risk of depression than those who ate no fried foods. I have found that it is related.

This association was more pronounced among younger men and younger consumers.

Fried foods are known risk factors for obesity, hypertension, and other health effects. According to the published paper, these results “pave the way for the importance of reducing fried food consumption for mental health.” Journal PNAS Monday.

However, experts who study nutrition say the results are preliminary and suggest whether fried foods cause mental health problems or whether people experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety have turned to fried foods. said it was not always clear.

The study assessed 140,728 people over 11.3 years. After excluding participants diagnosed with depression within his first two years, a total of 8,294 anxiety disorders and 12,735 depression were found in the fried food eater. Fried white meat.

The study also found that participants who regularly ate more than one serving of fried food were more likely to be younger men.

“The human component of this study may indicate what it’s meant to be: the higher the intake of fried foods, the higher the risk of anxiety/depression,” said the study. Dr. David Katz, a lifestyle medicine expert who is not involved, said in an email.

“However, causal pathways can easily go the other way. People with anxiety and depression turn to ‘comfort foods’ more often for comfort,” says the nonprofit. added Katz, founder of . Commitment to true healtha global coalition of professionals dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine.

He said people with underlying symptoms of anxiety and depression can rely on comfort foods as a way to self-medicate.

Unhealthy food and poor nutrition can lower your mood and worsen your mental health. Previous research Quoted in this new one.

In a new study, researchers suggest that acrylamide is a chemical formed. in the process of fryingespecially French fries, increases the risk of anxiety and depression.

In another paper referenced in the new study, researchers exposed zebrafish to chemicals and found that long-term exposure caused the fish to stay in dark zones in the aquarium. This is a common sign of high anxiety levels in fish.

Zebrafish never swam closely with other zebrafish, even though they are known to form groups with other zebrafish, which also reduced their ability to explore and socialize tanks. was showing.

“Zebrafish were probably chosen….because they are already known to be vulnerable to acrylamide toxicity, their behavioral responses to anxiety are well established and consistent, and the biological data provide a source for both behavioral and behavioral data.

Dr. Walter Willett said the results “should be viewed as very preliminary, especially for the relationship between fried foods and acrylamide.”

“The health effects of fried foods are highly dependent on what they are and what type of fat is used in them,” Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard TH Chang School of Public Health, said in an email. “There is concern that potatoes may affect mood because they can cause significant spikes in blood sugar levels and subsequent hormonal responses to these rises. However, these The surge in is partially blunted by fat provided by fat from fried foods.”

Acrylamide isn’t just produced in fried foods, says Willett. It contains.

He also said of zebrafish, “We are obviously quite different, so the data are difficult to interpret in relation to human health, and the authors are aware of this.”

Zhejiang University researcher Yu Zhang, author of the study, told CNN in an email. On the Negative Effects of Fried Food” However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing fried food consumption may help your mental health in addition to your overall health.

Researchers point to recent increases in depression and anxiety around the world, and by 2020 27.6% and 25.6%, Each.of world health organization It also estimates that more than 5% of adults worldwide suffer from depression, as noted in the paper.

By examining the effects of human fried food intake and zebrafish exposure to acrylamide, the researchers compared the two and found that frequent intake of chemicals commonly found in fried foods negatively impacts mental health. suggested that it is possible.

AlAffirmation of food diversity It has also been shown to reduce happiness, says Katz.

“If takeaway is required, it’s simply that overall dietary quality and healthy food choices are extremely important to all aspects of health, mentally and physically,” says Katz. said.

Willett says reverse causation is also possible. That means you may change your diet for depression or anxiety. “These mood changes are generally more difficult to study because they can come and go, unlike major cancer or heart attack diagnoses. It was not designed.”