Study shows fast food may be linked to depression

A study from March 2012 conducted by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain with the University of Granada, has shown some evidence that the consumption of commercial baked goods as well as fast food products may be linked to depression.

The study, spearheaded by researcher Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, took six months to complete. The universities studied the diets and mental health of nearly 9,000 subjects that had never been diagnosed with depression or prescribed antidepressants before the start of the study. Researchers found that the individuals who regularly eat fast foods and commercial baked goods are 51 percent more likely to develop depression than those with a healthier diet.

“Although more studies are necessary, the intake of this type of food should be controlled because of its implications on both health (obesity, cardiovascular diseases) and mental well-being,” concluded Almudena Sanchez-Villegas in a statement about the study.

Although Sanchez-Villegas may believe the findings need more evidence, a separate Mayo Clinic study also found similar results. Conducted in Britain and released by the clinic in March of 2012, researches studied roughly 3,000 middle-aged workers for five years, tracking their diet and mental health standings. They, too, found that the subjects who subsisted on a “junk food diet” were more likely to report symptoms of depression than those with a more well-rounded diet.

Although these studies may not bode well for major food chains, small bakeries or grocers that produce fresh food products on a limited basis may be able to use these findings to their advantage. By designing custom labels with a color label printer that play towards the mental health advantages of fresher foods, these companies may be able to bring in the consumers who are on the fence about whether to continue their fast food diet or choose a healthier alternative.