Skipping meals and irregular eating habits linked to depression symptoms. Study found that people who frequently skip main meals are more likely to report feeling depressed, though eating a wide variety of foods can help buffer this association.
Skipping meals and irregular eating habits linked to depression symptoms
32 Comments
Is this not literally one of the diagnostic criteria for depression?
I find the title a little bit ridicolous.
“Self destructive behaviours like bad eating habits are symptoms… Of a condition that encourages self destructive behaviours, like Depression”
Like, no way Sherlock
I don’t eat regularly because I struggle with major depressive disorder. While there may be a negative feedback loop, the causal factor is depression.
Yeah. That’s why we talk about HALT.
https://www.choosingtherapy.com/halt-acronym/
Consistency is key, if you are foregoing that by skipping meals there’s obviously an underlying issue. Folks who stick to a lifestyle of intermittent fasting are being consistent about not eating often, but on a regular schedule are not included in this study I don’t think?
Got divorced. Favorite grandpa died a week later. I’m eating once a day and sleeping 12 hours. That Checks out. It’s like my body knows it’s sad and says, time to lay around and be sad.
But How can I eat a variety of food that’s suppose to help if there is no urge to eat in the first place, huge barrier rn with shopping cooking and cleaning. Or does the variety of food act as a buffer before the depressive event?
‘Because of this, the researchers cannot prove that skipping meals actually brings about depression. It is highly possible that the relationship works in the exact opposite direction.’
One might say probable. Or in practise possibly interactional.
Anhedonia is can directly impact the choice to eat unhealthily for instance ie chocolate over vegetables. Which then means appetite for the next meal is impacted etc. Breakfast becomes a chore rather than enjoyable etc so it gets skipped in order to manage up in the morning. Nausea can be part of it too, particularly if other drugs are being used to manage eg alcohol.
It’s called being broke
Is this controlled for people skipping meals due to cost of living and inflation?
Gawd, now do “on purpose” and see how drastically the results flip.
Welcome to the life of the average neurodivergent.
Diagnosed with ADHD and ASS. I both forget to eat, and get under- or overstimulated from food, amongst other things. We’re also the group with depression as the most common comorbidity.
Is so very clearly the other way around.
I actually enjoy cooking a lot but willing myself to cook consistently instead of ordering food might as well be like moving a mountain
Depressed, stressed, and neurodivergent people usually skip meals. It’s a thing we do.
Imagine how it would feel to just not have enough food to eat.
I find when I skip breakfast my sleep shifts later, becomes more irregular, and I end up with depressive symptoms. What’s weird is my body feels much more flexible about lunch and dinner. I’ve been a breakfast skipper for much of my life; not sure how that plays into things.
Another reason for a food for all program.
Food scarcity causes depression.
So I’m either fat or depressed? Neat.
I feel like there should be a rule for how these titles are phrased.
Because it always seems like it’s implying that the first component is causing the second. This title reads as if it is saying that skipping meals can cause depression, when in fact, it’s almost certainly the case that depression causes people to skip meals…
Struggling to eat right now, really don’t wanna have to resort to buying weed so I get the munchies.
Skipping meals does not cause depression. Depression causes skipping meals.
Personally i only function well when i eat one meal a day, i dont know why, i’ve tried everything, eating small meals but many, eating three meals, eating two meals, my body seems to want to eat once, and then i dont get hungry until around 24 hours later, and i’m full of energy, clear mind, any other way of eating leads to irregular mood, tiredness, brain fog, hard to go to the gym. and intermittent fasting is pretty good for you so why not.
I find it to be the opposite as some one who does one meal a day fasting. When I’m deep in my fast I feel the most energy and mood stability. As soon as I eat everything crashes. I feel tired and moody especially if it ends up being a heavy meal that gets my gut working hard.
I think honestly if I could never eat again it would be the best option for me in every way.
Yeah just keep eating that ice cream and getting fatter nro
Or is it people who are depressed are more likely to skip meals?
I prefer skipping lunch at work so I can leave early and save my calories for my dinner.
Is it considered skipping breakfast if I just don’t feel like eating it? I was born that way.
Good thing I skip meals regularly
Isnt overeating also a symptom of depression?
I wanted to disagree in the first part, but I do vary my food quite a lot. Interesting to think about there being a connection to my instinctive choice of food.
So, everything I do contributes to depression and I do it *because* I’m depressed. Got it.