Diet Fuels Depression

Women who consume a diet defined as inflammatory—high in red meat, fish, sodas, and refined grains—have a higher risk for depression, compared with women who consume low amounts of these products. As part of the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers analyzed the diets of 43,685 women who were free of depression at the onset of the research and followed them for an average of 12 years. Using measurable lab values associated with depression as well as a physician’s diagnosis and use of antidepressants, they found that women who favored inflammatory food products were 41 percent more likely to be depressed.