Diet drinks linked to depression risk
A study has found a link between drinking dietfizzy or diet fruit drinks and an increased risk of depression.
The researchers analysed information from more than 263,900 US adults aged 50 to 71, who answered questions about their beverage consumption between the years 1995 and 1996. About 10 years later (2004 to 2006), the same people were asked if a doctor had diagnosed them with depression since the year 2000.
People who regularly drank four or more cans of any type of fizzy drink a day were 30% more likely to have been diagnosed with depression than people who did not consume fizzy drinks. The depression risk was especially high for drinkers of diet fizzy drinks — a 31% incr-eased risk compared to a 22% raised risk for those who drank regular ones.
Those who drank four or more cans of diet fruit drinks were 51% more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to those who did not drink diet fruit drinks.
The study only found an association, and did not determine whether or not diet soda or fruit drinks caused depression.
The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in March.
