Health

Low-calorie diets linked to surprising mental health effect, new research shows

Published

9 months ago

June 12, 2025

Low-calorie diets linked to surprising mental health effect, new research shows

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Embarking on a low-calorie diet could potentially lead to negative mental health, researchers in Toronto, Canada, have revealed.

A new study, published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health, investigated how the adoption of restrictive diets could instigate depressive symptoms.

Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers analyzed nearly 29,000 adults who reported their dietary habits and also completed a mental health questionnaire.

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Nearly 8% of these adults reported depressive symptoms.

Compared to those who did not follow a specific diet, those who stuck to a calorie-restrictive diet — including overweight individuals — saw an increase in depressive symptom severity, the study found.

A new study found that calorie-restrictive eating can lead to depressive symptoms. (iStock)

People who followed a nutrient-restricted diet saw a larger increase in symptoms, while men who followed any diet reportedly showed “higher somatic symptom scores” compared to non-dieters.

The researchers concluded that there are “potential implications of widely followed diets on depressive symptoms, and a need for tailored dietary recommendations based on BMI and sex.”

Potential limitations

Judith S. Beck, PhD, president of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Pennsylvania, reacted to these findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.

The expert, who was not involved in the research, noted that it only showed an association between low-calorie diets and depression.

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“This is an important distinction, [because] correlation does not equal causation, and having a few depressive symptoms does not mean you have the condition of depression,” she said.

Beck noted that depression and negative emotions can also be caused by multiple cognitive, emotional or behavioral factors that are “more directly associated with depressive symptoms.”

Men showed higher scores for depressive symptoms than women, the study found. (iStock)

Fostering healthy habits

Certified holistic nutritionist Robin DeCicco in New York City commented that most Americans would benefit from losing weight, as 70% of Americans are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This can be done by reducing the intake of sugary drinks and processed foods, and learning how to incorporate more whole foods like lean protein, vegetables, fruits and nuts, recommended DeCicco, who also was not involved in the study.

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The nutritionist also warned against following fad diets.

“It’s not sustainable or healthy to follow these trends because, most often, they are not educating the public on the type of nutrients you need to function mentally and physically, which is why it doesn’t surprise me that people can experience depressive and cognitive-affective symptoms when losing weight.”

Cutting out some high-fat foods like avocado and olive oil is also eliminating nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, a nutritionist cautioned. (iStock)

The quality of calories “matters dramatically,” DeCicco noted.

“While weight loss is about calories in and calories out, it’s also about the type of calories and what we need for fuel, protection against disease, and mental and physical satisfaction,” she said.

“Food has the power to help us or harm us, and if we’re not eating certain foods known to promote mental well-being, we will definitely suffer from cognitive impairment and unstable mood.”

As an example, cutting out fats because they’re high in calories — like salmon, avocado, olive oil and nuts — also cuts out nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation, prevent disease and improve cognition, mood and brain health, DeCicco noted.

“Food has the power to help us or harm us, and if we’re not eating certain foods known to promote mental well-being, we will definitely suffer from cognitive impairment and unstable mood.” (iStock)

“If someone wants to lose weight but also has a health history of cognitive decline or is diagnosed with depression, it is even more important to emphasize the food groups mentioned above,” DeCicco added.

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Beck echoed the importance of eating in a “very healthy way,” while also recommending that people consider cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

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“CBT helps people learn the cognitive (thinking) and behavioral skills they need to eat as healthily as possible given their circumstances, and to change their thinking so they can make long-term changes in their eating and improve their overall health,” she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

Published

7 minutes ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.

A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.

The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.

Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)

The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.

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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.

The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”

Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)

Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”

SIMPLE NIGHTLY HABIT LINKED TO HEALTHIER BLOOD PRESSURE, STUDY SUGGESTS

“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”

This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.

“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)

“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”

The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”

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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”

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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.

The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.

Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)

“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”

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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.

“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”

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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”

Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)

Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”

“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.

“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and Fat Burn | Woman’s World

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