Low-calorie diets linked to increased depressive symptoms, study finds [Video]

Embarking on a low-calorie diet could potentially lead to negative mental health, researchers in Toronto, Canada, have revealed.

A new study, published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health, investigated how the adoption of restrictive diets could instigate depressive symptoms.

Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers analyzed nearly 29,000 adults who reported their dietary habits and also completed a mental health questionnaire.

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Nearly 8% of these adults reported depressive symptoms.

Compared to those who did not follow a specific diet, those who stuck to a calorie-restrictive diet — including overweight individuals — saw an increase in depressive symptom severity, the study found.

People who followed a nutrient-restricted diet saw a larger increase in symptoms, while men who followed any diet reportedly showed “higher somatic symptom scores” compared to non-dieters.

The researchers concluded that there are “potential implications of widely followed diets on depressive symptoms, and a need for tailored dietary recommendations…