Consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with depression, mesocorticolimbic volume, and inflammation
Contreras-Rodriguez O, Reales-Moreno M, Fernández-Barrès S, Cimpean A, Arnoriaga-Rodríguez M, Puig J, Biarnés C, Motger-Albertí A, Cano M, Fernández-Real JM
Journal of affective disorders · 35 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
- Intake measured by
- Not stated
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
- University or hospital
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental
- Government
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- Government
- European Regional Development Fund
- Government
- Interreg
- Grants
- European Regional Development Fund (2014-2020’); Instituto de Salud Carlos III (EFA345/19); Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CP20/00165); European Regional Development Fund ((POCTEFA 2014‐2020)); Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CD20/00189); Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI15/01934); Interreg (EFA345/19); Interreg (2014-2020)
Based on 5 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2023-05-17 · J Affect Disord · vol. 335 · pp. 340–348
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Cited
- 55 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 12.7× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 68 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY-NC-ND
- Research areas
- Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Culinary Culture and Tourism · Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Keywords
- Putamen, Amygdala, Medicine, Depression (economics), Internal medicine, Obesity, Anterior cingulate cortex, Posterior cingulate, White matter, Hippocampal formation, Cingulate cortex, Mediation, Psychology, Magnetic resonance imaging, Neuroscience, Cortex (anatomy), Psychiatry, Central nervous system, Cognition, Radiology
- MeSH
- humans, obesity, inflammation, diet, depression, adult, fast foods, biomarkers, food, processed
10 authors
From ES, US
- Oren Contreras‐Rodríguez · correspondingUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Instituto de Salud Carlos III; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona
- Marta Reales-MorenoUniversitat de Girona; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona
- Sílvia Fernández‐BarrésAgència de Salut Pública de Catalunya
- Anna CimpeanInstitut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona
- María Arnoriaga‐RodríguezUniversitat de Girona; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red
- Josep PuigUniversitat de Girona; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona; Parque Sanitario Pere Virgili
Abstract
Background
The consumption of ultra-processed foods and drinks (UPF) has been associated with depression and inflammation and preclinical studies showed that some UPF components disrupt the amygdala-hippocampal complex. We combine diet, clinical and brain imaging data to investigate the relationship between the UPF consumption, depressive symptoms, and brain volumes in humans, considering interactions with obesity, and the mediation effect of inflammation biomarkers.
Methods
One-hundred fifty-two adults underwent diet, depressive symptoms, anatomic magnetic resonance imaging assessments and laboratory tests. Relationships between the % of UPF consumption (in grams) of the total diet, depressive symptoms, and gray matter brain volumes were explored using several adjusted regression models, and in interaction with the presence of obesity. Whether inflammatory biomarkers (i.e., white blood cell count, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, c-reactive protein) mediate the previous associations was investigated using R mediation package.
Results
High UPF consumption was associated with higher depressive symptoms in all participants (β = 0.178, CI = 0.008-0.261) and in those with obesity (β = 0.214, CI = -0.004-0.333). Higher consumption was also associated with lower volumes in the posterior cingulate cortex and the left amygdala, which in the participants with obesity also encompassed the left ventral putamen and the dorsal frontal cortex. White blood count levels mediated the association between UPF consumption and depressive symptoms (p = 0.022).
Limitations
The present study precludes any causal conclusions.
Conclusions
UPF consumption is associated with depressive symptoms and lower volumes within the mesocorticolimbic brain network implicated in reward processes and conflict monitoring. Associations were partially dependent on obesity and white blood cell count.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY-NC-ND).
Community trust
Loading…
How much do you trust this study's findings?
Comments
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inSomething wrong here?
Flag this study if its information, labels or funding look wrong. An editor reviews every flag.
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inEducational information about published research. Not medical advice, and not a recommendation to start or stop anything.