Can a hamburger a day keep depression away?
A new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that the only food associated with a lower risk of depression was beef.
Researchers wanted to examine the link between vegetarianism and depression in adults.
They asked 14,216 Brazilians between the ages of 35 and 74 if they ate a meatless diet and interviewed the participants to identify episodes of depression.
In examining associations between plant-based diets and mental health, scientists examined sociodemographic parameters, smoking or alcohol habits, level of physical activity, self-assessed health status, body mass index, and past 6 years. Other variables were taken into account, including monthly nutrition.
Researchers have found that a meatless diet actually leads to experiencing depressive episodes twice as often as beef eaters.
The authors of the study wrote, “Nutrition deficiencies do not explain this association,” but other experts have a different take.
Nutrients such as iron, B vitamins, zinc, and protein in beef may help support brain function and prevent depressive episodes.
“Whenever an individual omits an entire food group, in this case a protein and fat source, and does not replace it with a nutritionally equally appropriate alternative, various systemic and physiological functions, such as cognitive health, are affected. A spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics told Healthline.
Richard, who was not involved in the study, pointed out that further tests need to be done to find out if nutritional deficiencies were the cause behind the findings.
“Another factor that is important to evaluate is whether the person felt isolated or disconnected from others in relation to their dietary choices,” Richard said.
The researchers indeed concluded that this association was unclear and that more data were needed to clarify the association.
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