A recent large-scale study has revealed that the types of beverages consumed may affect the likelihood of developing depression and anxiety disorders. Published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the research found that sugary and artificially sweetened drinks increase the risk of depression, especially in younger adults. On the other hand, coffee and fruit juices were linked to a lower risk of both depression and anxiety across various age groups.
The study, led by researchers from Wenzhou Medical University in China, aimed to investigate how different beverages might influence mental health. Previous research has explored the connection between diet and mental health, but this study focused specifically on the effects of individual drinks.
As mental health issues continue to rise worldwide, the researchers set out to examine the long-term impact of commonly consumed beverages such as sugary sodas, diet drinks, fruit juice, coffee, milk, and tea. The team sought to determine whether swapping one type of drink for another could affect mental health outcomes.
Using data from the UK Biobank—a large health study that tracks over 500,000 individuals—the researchers analyzed 188,355 adults aged 37 to 73. Participants had completed online diet surveys from 2009 to 2012, recording their beverage intake. The study tracked six beverage types: sugar-sweetened drinks, artificially sweetened drinks, fruit and vegetable juices, milk, coffee, and tea.
The researchers examined 11 years of health records to identify new diagnoses of depression and anxiety. They excluded participants already diagnosed with these conditions at the start. The analysis took into account various factors like age, sex, lifestyle, diet, and health habits that could influence mental health.
Over the follow-up period, more than 5,800 participants were diagnosed with depression, and over 6,400 developed anxiety disorders. The study found that adults under 60 who drank more than one serving of sugary drinks per day had a 14% higher risk of depression, compared to those who avoided these drinks. Similarly, those who consumed artificially sweetened drinks had a 23% higher risk. Conversely, adults who drank more than one serving of fruit juice daily had a 19% lower risk of depression, while regular coffee drinkers had a 12% lower risk. Coffee was also linked to a reduced risk of anxiety in this group.
Among individuals aged 60 and older, the results were somewhat different. There was no clear connection between sugary or artificially sweetened drinks and mental health. However, those who drank more fruit juice or coffee had a lower risk of both depression and anxiety. Tea and milk showed no consistent relationship with mental health, although replacing milk with coffee or juice appeared to lower the risk in older adults.
The researchers also conducted a substitution analysis to understand the impact of replacing one beverage with another. For adults under 60, swapping a sugary drink for fruit juice or coffee was associated with a significantly lower risk of both depression and anxiety. For example, replacing soda with juice resulted in a 16% lower risk of depression. In older adults, replacing milk with fruit juice or coffee had a similar positive effect.
While the findings were consistent across multiple analyses, the study has some limitations. For one, it relied on medical records to identify depression and anxiety, potentially missing milder cases. Additionally, since the study was observational, it cannot prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between beverages and mental health. It’s possible that individuals already at a higher risk for mental health issues may have been more likely to consume sweetened drinks.
This study highlights the potential mental health benefits of making mindful beverage choices, particularly when it comes to replacing sugary drinks with healthier alternatives like fruit juice or coffee.
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