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Too much sugar heightens risk of depression, says new study

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Men who consume too much sugar in drinks and confectionery run an increased risk of depression, the Guardian has reported.

The research, published by University College London (UCL), looked at the diets and common mental health problems in a large sample of more than 5,000 men and women over the 1980s.

It found a strong relationship between consuming higher levels of sugar and depression men.

Those with the highest intake – recorded as more than 67g a day – had a 23 per cent increased risk of suffering a common mental disorder after five years than those who consumed the lowest levels of sugar – less than 39.6g a day.

The scientists’ first theory was that men who were depressed consumed higher levels of sugar for one reason or another.

However, this was found not to be the case.

Lead author Anika Knüppel, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health, said: “High sugar diets have a number of influences on our health but our study shows that there might also be a link between sugar and mood disorders, particularly among men. There are numerous factors that influence chances for mood disorders, but having a diet high in sugary foods and drinks might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

“The study found no link between sugar intake and new mood disorders in women and it is unclear why. More research is needed to test the sugar-depression effect in large population samples.

“There is increasing evidence for the physical damage sugar has on our health. Our work suggests an additional mental health effect. This further supports the evidence for policy action such as the new sugar levy in the UK, but this is not addressed in many other European countries.”

Commenting on the study, Tom Sanders, professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, warned that depression has been linked with many other factors, such as low socioeconomic status, smoking habits, and obesity.

“From a scientific standpoint it is difficult to see how sugar in food would differ from other sources of carbohydrate on mental health, as both are broken down to simple sugars in the gut before absorption and the glycemic index of sugar is less than refined starchy foods such as white bread and rice,” he said.