Dieting and Depression: A Closer Look at Calorie Restriction
Dieting with reduced caloric intake could potentially heighten the risk of depression.
Embrace an informal, casual chat as we delve into the fascinating world of dieting and its impact on mental health, focusing largely on the potential pitfalls of calorie restriction.
Restricting Calories, Inviting Depression?
According to a fresh cross-sectional study spearheaded by Canadian researchers, maintaining a calorie-restricted diet could lead to an unwanted increase in depressive symptoms. This might be particularly concerning for overweight individuals and men. But, let's take a step back and understand what calorie restriction means in the context of dieting.
A substantial portion of Americans grapple with weight issues, with many turning towards various methods for weight loss, such as altering their diet or utilizing medications. One common technique for weight loss is restricting calories, with advice ranging from cutting 500 to 1,000 calories each day to shed 1 to 2 pounds weekly. However, people may opt for extreme measures when attempting to shed pounds, significantly limiting their caloric intake or focusing solely on one food group, like followers of the carnivore diet.
While losing weight is essential for some, it's crucial to do so in a healthy manner, as dietary strategies that can deteriorate physical health are a well-known concern. This study, featured in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, aims to expand our knowledge on how calorie and nutrient restriction may affect mental health, a question it sets out to explore.
Linking Diet and Mental Health
Depression has become a growing concern, affecting millions annually, with U.S. cases on the rise. According to 2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 18.4% of American adults have received a depression diagnosis at some point.
Research asserts that eating healthfully aids mental health, while processed foods can impair it. The researchers behind this study aimed to delve deeper into calorie and nutrient restriction, an area they perceived as under-researched.
They analyzed data from over 28,000 participants, collated through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The NHANES gathers information on health and nutrition, while the PHQ-9 assesses depressive symptoms.
The study categorized participants into four categories:
- calorie-restricted diet
- nutrient-restricted diet
- established medical dietary patterns, such as the DASH diet
- no dietary intervention.
The researchers compared the participants' responses to the PHQ-9, factoring in variables like body mass index (BMI) and gender.
Diet and Depression: The Connections Unveiled
The study's findings revealed that 7.79% of participants displayed depressive symptoms. It was discovered that people adhering to a calorie-restricted diet had somewhat higher overall PHQ-9 scores, with an increase of 0.29 points compared to other groups. This increase was more pronounced among those with higher BMIs within the calorie-restriction group, whose PHQ-9 score rose by an average of 0.46 points.
Even more alarmingly, overweight people following a nutrient-restricted diet exhibited a higher PHQ-9 score of 0.61 points. However, it's worth mentioning that those on a nutrient-restricted diet didn't have a higher PHQ-9 score overall.
Sex-based differences also emerged in the study. Men following a nutrient-restricted diet were more likely to show an increase in cognitive-affective symptoms, while researchers noted that all three dietary patterns were linked to higher somatic symptom scores in biological men.
Exploring the Cause-Effect Relationship
Amy Roethler, RDN, LD, a dietitian and nutritionist at Newport Healthcare's PrairieCare program, discussed this study with Medical News Today. Roethler asserted that this research supports growing suspicions that significant calorie restriction can have negative consequences for mental health, particularly in relation to depressive symptoms.
She explained that, from her experience, people focused on calorie restriction tend to overlook vital nutrient intake, which may explain the observed link between dieting and emotional distress. Roethler also recommended that medical professionals who are assisting individuals trying to lose weight, especially those with a history of depression, refer patients to registered dieticians for guidance.
The study's authors have plans to investigate the specific nutritional deficiencies that arise during dieting and their impact on depressive symptoms.
- Engaging in a calorie-restricted diet may unintentionally increase the risk of experiencing depressive symptoms, according to recent research.
- The link between diet and mental health is gaining more attention, with some studies suggesting that a healthy diet can aid mental health, while poor nutrition may impair it.
- In this study, individuals following a calorie-restricted diet had slightly higher scores on the PHQ-9, a questionnaire used to assess depressive symptoms, compared to other groups.
- Notably, the impact of calorie restriction on mental health appears to be more significant for individuals with higher BMIs, as they reported a higher average increase in PHQ-9 scores.
- Additionally, the study found that overweight men following a nutrient-restricted diet had the highest PHQ-9 scores, although the overall score was not significantly higher than other groups.
- Registered dietitians and nutritionists, like Amy Roethler, suggest that individuals who focus on calorie restriction may overlook crucial nutrient intake, potentially contributing to emotional distress.
