Following a low calorie diet is linked to a heightened risk of depressive symptoms, finds research published in the open access journal, BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.
Men and those who are overweight may be especially vulnerable to the effects of restrictive eating, the findings suggest.
A 'healthy' diet rich in minimally processed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins and fish, is generally associated with a lower risk of depression, while an 'unhealthy' diet, dominated by ultra-processed foods, refined carbs, saturated fats, processed meats and sweets, is generally associated with a heightened risk, explain the researchers.
But people follow many different types of diet for health or medical reasons, including those that restrict calories or particular nutrients, and it's not clear if these other dietary patterns might be associated with a risk of depressive symptoms, they add.
