Fried foods, especially fried potatoes, may be linked to an increased risk of anxiety and depression, according to a study conducted by researchers at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, CNN reports. The study, published in the journal PNAS, found that those who frequently consume fried foods have a 12% higher risk of anxiety and a 7% higher risk of depression than those who do not eat fried foods. Experts caution that the results are preliminary, and it's not clear whether the fried foods were driving mental health issues or whether people experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety turned to fried foods. The researchers caution that more study is needed to understand the causal pathway and the relationship between fried foods and mental health. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing consumption of fried foods may be helpful for mental health in addition to overall health.
