Over the years we have published the results of numerous scientific studies linking highly processed foods* with serious health conditions like diabetes and heart disease, as well as linking artificial sweeteners** with depression. Now, another scientific study has replicated the findings of previous studies conducted from around the globe. The most recent scientific study has found a link between artificial sweeteners and depression, and between diets of highly processed foods and diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol and fat levels.
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Study overview
Researchers evaluated the diets of 31,712 non-Hispanic White females, aged 42-62 years old between 2003 and 2017, and estimated how much highly processed foods they ate. A secondary analysis was conducted to investigate the health impacts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) by category.
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Results overview
The findings indicate participants who ate more processed foods had greater body mass indexes (BMI), and were more likely to smoke, develop diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and depression compared to those who ate less processed foods.
Additionally, the study identified approximately 2,122 cases of self-reported clinician–diagnosed depression that requires regular antidepressant use, and 4,840 cases of depression that requires clinical diagnosis and/or antidepressants.
The analysis of specific processed foods categories revealed that higher consumption of artificial sweeteners** and artificially sweetened beverages was associated with higher risks of developing depression.
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*Highly processed food (also known as ultra-processed food) are heavily processed, ready-to-eat, prepared and packaged meals, drinks and snacks that have little to no natural food ingredients, lack nutritional value and often contain a significant amount of synthetic and/or industrialized additives including emulsifiers, dyes, flavorings and preservatives.
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**The World Health Organization’s health experts have warned that synthetic, non-sugar food additives, including acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccarin, sucralose, stevia, and stevia derivatives are not effective for those trying to lose weight, and can be harmful to consumers’ health including cancer, anxiety, heart disease and stroke.
Journal Reference: Chatpol Samuthpongtorn, et al. Consumption of Ultraprocessed Food and Risk of Depression. JAMA Network Open, September 20, 2023; 6(9):e2334770. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.34770.
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