About 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. It’s a chronic feeling of sadness and emptiness that is very difficult to deal with. However, with the right intervention, it can be treated. Depression can also be avoided, and most recently, a study revealed that consuming low-fat milk can reduce the chances of being diagnosed with the disease.
According to researchers in Japan and China, people who consume low fat dairy products like milk and yogurt are less likely to have depression.
The study involved about 1,000 Japanese adults who were asked to complete a questionnaire on how frequent they consumed whole or low fat dairy products. They were also evaluated using a questionnaire that is used as a tool to determine if a person is with or without depression.
The results of the study revealed that the frequency of consuming low-fat dairy products can be linked to a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. People who consumed low-fat dairy products between one and four times weekly are found to be less depressed.
Furthermore, the researchers noted that drinking whole milk products was not associated with depression. The researchers theorize that the trans-fatty acid in whole milk cancels the anti-depressive effect of the milk component trytophan.
On a final note, the study was not able to explain the outcomes of the result. The study did not include other dairy products like cheese and butter and it was not clear if it was consuming low-fat milk or low-fat yogurt that has a stronger effect.
Sources: Medical News Today, Science Daily
