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- Worldwide, depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability, and anxiety is the most common mental illness in the U.S.
- In the U.S., more than 16 million people struggle with depression and, in 2018, 1 in 4 women in their 40s and 50s are on antidepressant drugs. Up to 14% of pregnant women are also on antidepressants, despite the risk of birth defects
- There are compelling links between a high-sugar, processed food diet and poor mental health outcomes, and studies investigating the connection between obesity and mental health add further support to the diet-depression link
- Studies have shown women with abdominal obesity are at increased risk of anxiety and depression
- On the whole, a diet that nourishes your gut microbiome, reduces insulin resistance and optimizes mitochondrial function — such as a cyclical ketogenic diet — is going to have a beneficial impact on both your physical and mental health
Depression and anxiety are two leading mental health problems that have seen a dramatic rise in incidence in recent years. Worldwide, depression is now the leading cause of ill health and disability,1,2 with rates rising 18% in the decade between 2005 and 2015.3
In the U.S. in 2018, more than 16 million people struggle with the condition, and 1 in 4 women in their 40s and 50s are on antidepressant drugs.4 This, despite the fact that antidepressants have been proven to work no better than placebo.5,6,7,8 Eight9 to 14%10 of pregnant women are also on antidepressants, even though studies have linked their use during pregnancy to birth defects.11
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