The Link between Sugar and Depression

Some studies are showing that sugar consumption is correlated with increased risk of depression in the general population. Sugar intake appears to affect mood swings by affecting blood sugar or causing an inflammatory response in the nervous system. A cross-sectional study of adults found a positive correlation between dietary sugar intake and depression, with every 100 g of dietary sugar intake per day increasing the prevalence of depression by 28% [1].

Forty studies with 1,212,107 participants were included in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Results showed that sugar intake increased the risk of depression by 21%. Despite high variability and differences across studies, subgroup analyses showed that the association between sugar consumption and depression risk remains consistent across different study designs (cross-sectional, cohort, and case–control studies) and different sample sizes (<5,000, 5,000–10,000, >10,000). Women have a higher risk of depression than men. High-quality cross-sectional and cohort studies showed a significant association between sugar intake and depression risk, with most results being robust [2].

These findings highlight the need to improve dietary habits and to raise public awareness about the potential risks of high-sugar diets in addition to promoting the adoption of healthier eating habits. Despite the heterogeneity and potential biases present in the current studies, the overall results suggest a significant effect of sugar intake on depression risk. Future research is needed to further explore this association and its underlying mechanisms [2].

References:

1. Zhang, L., Sun, H., Liu, Z., Yang, J., & Liu, Y. (2024). Association between dietary sugar intake and depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018. BMC psychiatry, 24(1), 110.

2. Xiong, J., Wang, L., Huang, H., Xiong, S., Zhang, S., Fu, Q., Tang, R., & Zhang, Q. (2024). Association of sugar consumption with risk of depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in nutrition, 11, 1472612. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1472612