A UCSF pilot study of 20 adults found that reducing ultra-processed food intake by 85% improved depression symptoms across three measures. The JAMA Psychiatry trial is the first to test dietary intervention for depression using a crossover design.
Methodology and trial design
- ▪Researchers said the pilot successfully established viability for a larger-scale trial
- ▪The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and used a crossover trial design
Study findings
- ▪A UCSF pilot study of 20 adults found reducing ultra-processed food intake by more than 85% improved depression symptoms
- ▪The study published in JAMA Psychiatry is believed to be the first to compare depression symptoms before and after switching from an ultra-processed diet to healthier food
- ▪Participants experienced moderate to large improvements across three measures of depression, and anxiety scores also improved modestly
Debatable claims
- ▪A 20-person pilot study is too small to draw meaningful conclusions about diet and depression
- ▪Dietary intervention can meaningfully treat clinical depression without medication
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