Diet drinks may increase risk of developing depression

A study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif., March 16–23, shows that drinking sweetened beverages, especially diet drinks, may be associated with an increased risk of depression in adults. However, drinking coffee may be tied to a slightly lower risk.

January 9, 2013

A study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif., March 16–23, shows that drinking sweetened beverages, especially diet drinks, may be associated with an increased risk of depression in adults. However, drinking coffee may be tied to a slightly lower risk.
The study involved 263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71 at enrollment. From 1995 to 1996, consumption of drinks such as soda, tea, fruit punch, and coffee was evaluated. About 10 years later, researchers asked the participants whether they had been diagnosed with depression since the year 2000. A total of 11,311 depression diagnoses were made.
People who drank more than four cans or cups per day of soda were 30% more likely to develop depression than those who drank no soda. Those who drank four cans of fruit punch per day were about 38% more likely to develop depression than those who did not drink sweetened drinks. People who drank four cups of coffee per day were about 10% less likely to develop depression than those who drank no coffee. The risk appeared to be greater for people who drank diet than regular soda, diet than regular fruit punches, and for diet than regular iced tea.
“Our research suggests that cutting out or down on sweetened diet drinks or replacing them with unsweetened coffee may naturally help lower your depression risk,” said study author Honglei Chen, National Institutes of Health. “More research is needed to confirm these findings, and people with depression should continue to take depression medications prescribed by their doctors.”
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