Saed News: People with depression may skip meals due to reduced appetite or lack of motivation.
According to SAEDNEWS, a large study in South Korea shows that individuals who do not eat meals regularly or frequently skip meals such as breakfast are more likely to experience symptoms of depression. Researchers also found that having a more diverse diet may partially reduce this negative effect. The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
A new study suggests that eating meals regularly and at fixed times is associated with a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms. According to the research, people who frequently skip main meals report higher levels of depression symptoms; however, a varied diet can somewhat weaken this link.
Depression remains one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, affecting nearly 280 million people. Mental health experts usually consider life events, genetics, and brain chemistry in treatment, but in recent years researchers have increasingly focused on lifestyle factors, especially eating patterns and meal timing.
Meal timing can affect the body’s circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep, hormone secretion, and many bodily functions. Irregular eating may disrupt this natural cycle and disturb hormones such as cortisol, which plays a key role in the body’s stress response, thereby reducing psychological resilience.
Researchers also believe that irregular eating patterns can alter the composition of beneficial gut bacteria. Since the gut and brain are closely connected, this disruption may contribute to low-grade chronic inflammation, which is commonly observed in patients with depression.
In this study, researchers analyzed data from 21,568 adults in South Korea’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2014 and 2022. Individuals were classified as having irregular eating patterns if they skipped a main meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) more than five times per week.
Results showed that those with the most irregular eating habits were 1.55 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms compared to those with regular meal patterns. Skipping breakfast was especially linked to a higher risk of depression.
The study also found that dietary diversity could reduce some of the negative effects, while the combination of skipping breakfast and having a poor diet quality was associated with the worst mental health outcomes.
However, researchers emphasized that the study is cross-sectional, meaning it cannot prove causation. It is also possible that depression itself leads to irregular eating due to reduced appetite or motivation.
Despite limitations, the findings suggest that meal timing may be just as important as food quality for mental health, and maintaining regular, varied meals may help support psychological well-being.
