French Fries May Affect Mental Health 炸薯条可能影响心理健康

French fries are comfort food for many. Butreaching for fried foods may have a negative impacton mental health.

A research team in Hangzhou， China， found thatfrequent consumption of fried foods， especially friedpotatoes， was linked with a 12% higher risk of anxietyand 7% higher risk of depression than in peoplewho didn’t eat fried foods.

Fried foods are known risk factors for obesity，high blood pressure and other health effects. Theseresults open an avenue in the significance of reducingfried food consumption for mental health， according toa paper published in the journal PNAS.

However， experts who study nutrition said theresults are preliminary， and it’s not clear whether friedfoods were driving mental health issues， or peopleexperiencing symptoms of depression or anxietyturned to fried foods.

The study evaluated 140，728 people over 11.3years. After excluding participants diagnosed withdepression within the first two years， a total of 8，294cases of anxiety and 12，735 cases of depressionwere found in those that consumed fried foods， whilespecifically fried potatoes were found to have a 2%increase in risk of depression over fried white meat.

炸薯条是很多人喜爱的爽心美食，然而吃油炸食品却可能对心理健康造成不良影响。

杭州的一个研究团队发现，常吃油炸食品尤其是炸薯条的人，相比不吃油炸食品的人，患焦虑症和抑郁症的风险分别高出12% 和7%。

众所周知，油炸食品是引发肥胖症、高血压和其他健康问题的风险因素。《美国科学院院报》发布的一份报告指出，研究结果指出了少吃油炸食品对于心理健康的重要性。

然而，营养学专家表示，这些只是初步研究结果，到底是油炸食品引发心理健康问题，还是有抑郁和焦虑症状的人爱吃油炸食品，尚未可知。

这项研究在11.3 年时间内对140，728 人进行了评估。在头两年排除了参与研究的抑郁症确诊患者后，研究发现，爱吃油炸食品的人当中，有8，294 例患有焦虑症，12，735 例患有抑郁症。而爱吃炸薯条的人相比爱吃炸白肉的人患抑郁症的风险要高出2%。

The study had also found that the participantsconsuming more than one serving of fried foods regularlywere more likely to be younger men.

Unhealthy food and poor nutrition can lower one’smood and progress a mental health condition， as found ina prior study cited within this new one.

In the new study， the researchers suggest thatacrylamide， a chemical formed during the frying process，especially in fried potatoes， is to blame for the higher riskof anxiety and depression.

“The health effects of fried foods will depend greatlyon what food is fried and what type of fat is used for frying，”said Willett， professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition atHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health， via email.

Zhejiang University researcher Zhang Yu， an authorof the study， said in an email that there is no need topanic about the adverse effects of fried foods. Butmaintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing consumptionof fried foods may be helpful for mental health in additionto overall health.

研究还发现，在参与调研的人当中，年轻男性更有可能定期摄入一份以上的油炸食品。

这项新研究引用的先前的一项研究结果称，不健康的饮食和营养不良会让人情绪低落，加重心理疾病。

研究人员在新研究中指出，油炸过程中尤其在炸薯条时产生的化学物质丙烯酰胺是焦虑和抑郁风险增加的元凶。

哈佛大学陈曾熙公共卫生学院的流行病学和营养学教授威利特在电子邮件中说道：“油炸食品对健康的影响主要取决于油炸的是什么食物以及油炸用的是哪种油。”

该研究的作者之一、浙江大学研究人员章宇（音译）在一封电子邮件中说，没必要对油炸食品的有害影响感到恐慌，但是保持健康的生活方式、少吃油炸食品可能有助于心理健康以及全身健康。