According to the study, adults who ate a pro-inflammatory diet were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and were also at a higher risk of becoming frail later in life. If you’re looking for ways to improve your mood and maintain your health, it may be time to change your diet.
Frailty affects 10 – 15% of older adults in the U.S. and often co-occurs with other conditions such as depression. Previous studies have suggested that an inflammatory diet is a major contributor to frailty development, but this is the first try to understand the impact of depression on dietary inflammation and frailty. An inflammatory diet includes artificial trans fats (like partially hydrogenated oil), refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats.
The study published in The Journal of Gerontology: Series A found the link between depression, diet, and the development of frailty. It analyzed data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort and included 1,701 non-frail participants. All were required to report their diet and depressive symptoms over 11 years.
Researchers found an association between an inflammatory diet and an increased risk of frailty among those with depressive symptoms. They believe that people with depressive symptoms typically show higher levels of inflammation, which can accelerate the development of frailty.
Lead author Courtney L Millar, Ph.D. said “This study found that depressive symptoms may exacerbate the development of frailty in response to consuming an inflammatory diet. This suggests that consuming a diet rich in anti-inflammatory compounds (e.g., fiber and plant-based compounds called flavonoids) may help prevent the development of frailty.”
“Our exploratory data also suggests that when middle-aged and older adults consume a pro-inflammatory diet, they are more likely to newly develop depressive symptoms and frailty at the same time rather than develop either condition alone.”
This study adds mounting evidence showing a relationship between dietary inflammation, depression, and frailty. For adults with depression, it may be essential for them to increase their intake of vegetables and fruits that are high in fiber,
flavonoids, as well as other dietary antioxidants. Previous studies have suggested that consuming a Mediterranean-style diet may prevent the development of frailty.
Brain Health
Many factors can take a toll on brain function, including mental health. As this study outlines, depression will not only take a toll on the ability of the brain to function at peak potential, but it can also raise the risk of other conditions such as frailty.
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