Depression and Weight
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Recently I looked at how Atkin’s style diets can decrease your attention span and cognitive ability. I have just come across some new evidence that shows links between diet and your mood. An Australian study has found that a low fat diet left participants in a better mood than a low carbohydrate diet.
The study took over 100 overweight or obese adult participants and placed them on either a very low carbohydrate high fat diet, or on a high carbohydrate, low fat diet. Participants remained on the diet for a year, and they were assessed for body weight, mood and well-being throughout the year and for a year after the diet ended. Both groups lost an average of over 30 pounds, and both showed an improvement in mood after the first 8 weeks. However, things changed after 8 weeks.
The low fat dieters maintained their improved mood after the 8 week mark, in contrast to the low carbohydrate dieters. Eight weeks into the study, the low carbohydrate dieters returned to where their mood had started before beginning the diet. This is despite the fact that they were losing weight, which generally raises mood in most people. The conclusion: low carbohydrate diets lower mood, even if weight loss is occurring. A possible explanation for these results, according to the study’s authors, is the difficulty of sticking to a low carb diet.
I do not disagree that a low carbohydrate diet is hard to maintain. It can lower your mental capability, as well as leave you depressed. Our environment is one of high carbohydrate intake and going against the norm can be extremely challenging. We are surrounded by bread and pasta, often in huge portions. However, if you think about it, both groups lost the same amount of weight. Thus, if we can lower our fat intake and consume healthier carbohydrates we should not only lose some weight, but also feel great about it.