27/04/2010
Weightloss hypnotherapy could have benefits in fighting depression as new study reveals possible chocolate link
by William Hobson
Cutting down on the consumption of chocolate is one of the more common reasons to take weight loss hypnotherapy treatments but new research reveals that it could have a welcome side effect in fighting depression.
Whilst common wisdom has long held that eating chocolate can help cheer people up, a new study has challenged the relationship between consumption of the popular cocoa treat and mood. Published in the Archives of Internal Medicine journal, a study from a US team of researchers has linked regular consumption of chocolate to lower states of emotional health.
In short, the research suggested that chocolate lovers are more depressive than others who only eat the substance every now and again.
A study of nearly 1,000 adults revealed that the more chocolate regularly consumed by the participants, the more likely he or she was to have a lower mood. Those who ate the most chocolate (over six regular sized, 28g bars a month) were the most likely to score highly on a recognised scale for depression.
Dr Natalie Rose and her colleagues from the University of California say that the exact link between depression and chocolate is uncertain but suggest several possible reasons.
One is that people who are depressed could crave 'self treatment' - eat chocolate to make themselves feel better. This would mean that the chocolate isn't a factor in the depression but more a symptom, fitting with more accepted wisdom. However, Dr Rose suggests that the situation may be more "analogous with alcohol."
"There could be short term benefits of chocolate to mood with longer-term untoward effects," she wrote in the published study.
Speaking to the BBC, Bridget O'Connell of mental health charity Mind said: "The way we feel and what we eat can be closely related and many people will be familiar with craving particular foods or comfort eating when they are stressed, under pressure or depressed."
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