Study Suggests Depression Linked To Chocolate

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Eating more chocolate is associated with higher depression scores.

A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at over 900 people and found that those who suffered from depression reported consuming more than twice as much chocolate as those who were negative for depression. The findings were similar between women and men.

The researchers speculate that depression may stimulate cravings for chocolate as a form of self-medication.

Animal studies suggest that chocolate may have positive mood benefits, however, they cannot rule out the possibility that chocolate actually contributes to the depressed mood, or that both cravings and depressed mood are caused by a third, underlying factor.

It is an interesting study but many of these studies that link mood disorders with food types need to be repeated to get consistent results. Nevertheless it is interesting.