Eating too much junk food increases risk of a mental health crisis: study

Pass on the fast food.

New research shows a connection between consumption of highly processed food, and “elevated” mental duress happening later in life, according to a paper from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study.

“Participants with the highest intake of ultra-processed food had increased odds of elevated psychological distress,” the study authors wrote.

The research took a pointed look at how the fatty foods later impacted adolescents aged 13 through 17 as a baseline, and then checked in with the subjects years later.

“Higher ultra-processed food intake at baseline was associated with subsequent elevated psychological distress as an indicator of depression at follow-up.”

Those in the highest quarter of processed food consumptions showed a 14% likelier increase to having a mental health crisis as opposed to the bottom 25%, according to the research.

That top population — coming out of a Melbourne-based grouping of 23,299 participants — were especially observed to have the distress at the 15-year follow up.

It was described by the study as “a marker for depression.”

Previously, ultra processed foods have been tied to increased risks of cancer and dementia as well.

Cognitive decline was connected to consumption of snacks like chips, cookies, frozen meals and soda.

Researchers in one junk food study observed a 25% spike in the likelihood of being diagnosed with dementia for those who ate such foods in high volume.

Another early 2023 study connected participants having an increased 2% risk of cancer for every 10% increase in junk food consumption.