"I bought pizza because I was depressed..." High-fat diets can increase depression and anxiety.

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When people are stressed, many try to cheer themselves up by eating delicious food like pizza or hamburgers. However, research results have shown that high-fat diets can actually increase anxiety and depression.

 

A recent study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that a high-fat diet destroys gut bacteria, which in turn affects brain chemicals in a way that can lead to anxiety.

 

"While most people know that high-fat foods (like pizza and hamburgers) are unhealthy, we often only think about them in terms of weight," said Christopher Lowry, a professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. "When you understand that they also affect the brain, the risks become even greater." The study results were published in the academic journal Biological Research.

The research team divided the mice into two groups, feeding one group a standard diet (approximately 11% fat) and the other a high-fat animal-based diet (45% fat) for nine weeks. Afterward, they examined their stool to determine their gut bacteria. The results revealed that the mice on the high-fat diet had a significantly reduced gut bacterial diversity. It is generally known that increased bacterial diversity leads to better health. Notably, the mice on the high-fat diet had a higher abundance of the harmful fungus Firmicudes.

 

The research team also confirmed that in the high-fat group, expression of genes involved in producing and transmitting signals from the neurotransmitter serotonin was higher in brain regions associated with stress and anxiety. While serotonin is often known as a "feel-good brain chemical," the team explained that when activated, a specific subset of neurons can trigger anxiety-like responses in animals.

 

The research team found a correlation between changes in gut flora and brain chemistry. "It appears that harmful microbes damage the gut lining, penetrate the circulatory system, and affect the brain," the team stated. “Exposure to a very high-fat diet, especially from a young age, may make the brain more vulnerable to anxiety.” He said.

 

The research team I also want to add that not all fat is bad. Pasted.

Healthy fats from fish, olive oil, nuts, etc. have a positive effect on the brain. , and that good fats can offset some of the bad fats.

 

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Pizza is one of the foods that people of all ages enjoy.

I'm thinking about eating pizza this weekend.

 

It's okay to eat it occasionally.

 

It's not like I relieve stress by eating.

Depression and anxiety may increase