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Sugar intake is associated with increased odds of depression and anxiety: evidence from a cross-sectional study
The current study aimed to assess the associations between total and specific sugar intake, dietary exposures meeting Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) criteria, and the prevalence of depression and anxiety. Conducted in the UK from 2022 to 2024, the online cross-sectional study involved 377 participants aged 18–66 years (M = 26.09; SD = 8.48). Participants completed the EPIC-Norfolk Food Frequency Questionnaire to quantify overall and specific sugar intake (fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, maltose, and sucrose) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales to identify likely cases of depression and anxiety.
The study reported a prevalence of 12.5% for depression and 16.4% for anxiety. Logistic regression analyses indicated that total sugar intake was positively associated with increased odds of depression (OR: 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02) and anxiety (OR: 1.01, 95% CI 1.01–1.02). Notably, higher sucrose intake correlated with increased odds of anxiety (OR: 1.02, 95% CI 1.00–1.05), while greater consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was linked to elevated odds of both depression (OR: 1.00, 95% CI 1.00–1.01) and anxiety (OR: 1.00, 95% CI 1.00–1.01). These findings suggest that while overall sugar intake is associated with both mental health outcomes, specific types of sugar, particularly sucrose and sugar-sweetened beverages, warrant further investigation regarding their influence on mental health. [NPID: Sugar, anxiety, depression, sugar-sweetened beverages]
Year: 2026
