Study finds fast food consumption raises depression risk

Eating fast food will increase your risk of suffering from depression, a new Spanish study has found. Presented in the journal Public Health Nutrition, the finding shows a correlation between depression and the consumption of fast food, such as hamburgers, pizza and hot dogs, as well as commercial baked goods like croissants and doughnuts. Specifically, people eating fast foods and commercial baked goods have a 51% greater chance of developing depression than those who do not consume such foods.

Researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria at the University of Granada also identified a dose-response association. 'The more fast food you consume, the greater the risk of depression,' the Scientific Information and News Service (SINC) quotes lead author Almudena Sánchez-Villegas of University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria as saying.

Subjects who consumed the most fast food and commercial baked goods are usually single, maintain poor dietary habits and are not very active. Other characteristics of these subjects are that they smoke and work more than 45 hours each week.

The team says the results are equally conclusive with respect to the consumption of commercial baked goods. 'Even eating small quantities is linked to a significantly higher chance of developing depression,' says Dr Sánchez-Villegas.