Scientific study: A simple dietary change may reduce symptoms of depression within 30 days

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A preliminary study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry and reported on the Science Alert website revealed results indicating that reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods may be associated with alleviating symptoms of depression in some people with the disease within a relatively short period.

The study, led by researcher Nyasha Chagwedera from the University of California, included 15 adults who used to eat large amounts of ultra-processed foods and had been suffering from depression for about 13 years on average. The average age of the participants was 44 years.

The researchers relied on comparing the condition of the participants during two nutritional periods, each lasting four weeks. In one period, participants followed a diet low in ultra-processed foods, while in the other they continued their usual diet, allowing the researchers to compare the effect of the two dietary patterns in the same people.

Ultra-processed foods include many industrially prepared products and packaged snacks that are easy to use, low-cost and have an attractive taste. However, researchers point out that heavy reliance on it may have health repercussions that go beyond weight gain or chronic diseases to include mental health as well.

The results showed a greater reduction in depressive symptoms during the period of the low-ultra-processed diet compared to the period of the usual diet. But the researchers stressed that the improvement recorded cannot be entirely attributed to the dietary change alone, given that the participants also showed improvement compared to baseline even during the regular diet period.

For example, participants' average scores on the depression scale (PHQ-9) were about 12.8 points at the start of the study, and decreased to 8.68 points during the regular diet period, indicating that multiple factors may have contributed to the improvement in psychological well-being.

The researchers believe that one possible explanation is that consumption of sugar, fat and calories is reduced when ultra-processed foods are reduced. Other hypotheses also indicate that some contaminants or food additives used in manufacturing processes may be linked to health and psychological effects.

The study team stressed that the current results focus primarily on evaluating the applicability of this type of diet and its acceptance by participants, while the results related to depression and anxiety remain exploratory and need further scientific verification.

The researchers therefore called for larger, more rigorous studies that include objective measurements of consumption of ultra-processed foods and investigate potential biological mechanisms that may explain the relationship between food quality and mental health.

The study adds new evidence to the growing body of research linking dietary habits and brain health, but it does not yet prove that reducing ultra-processed foods represents a direct treatment for depression. Rather, it suggests that it may be part of a supportive strategy to improve mental health.