NEW DELHI– Regular cardiovascular exercise such as running may help offset the depressive effects of a junk food-heavy diet, according to new research from University College Cork in Ireland.
The study, published in Brain Medicine, found that voluntary running significantly reduced depression-like behaviors in animals fed a high-fat, high-sugar “Western-style” diet. The researchers identified specific metabolic pathways through which exercise mitigates the negative impact of poor nutrition on mental health.
“The findings provide crucial insights into how lifestyle interventions might be optimized to support mental health in an era of widespread ultra-processed food consumption,” said Professor Yvonne Nolan, the study’s lead author.
In the experiment, adult male rats were fed either a standard diet or a rotating menu of high-fat, high-sugar foods for seven and a half weeks. Half of each group had access to running wheels. The results showed that exercise reversed several behavioral and metabolic changes linked to depression in those consuming the junk food diet.
The high-fat, high-sugar diet altered 100 of 175 measured gut metabolites in sedentary animals. Exercise, however, selectively restored three key compounds—anserine, indole-3-carboxylate, and deoxyinosine—previously associated with mood regulation.
While poor diet alone did not cause major impairments in memory or learning, running improved spatial navigation and reduced anxiety-like behaviors regardless of diet quality.
The researchers concluded that while exercise can independently improve mood, its full mental and neurobiological benefits are best achieved when paired with a healthy diet. “Physical activity provides mood benefits regardless of diet, but nutrition remains crucial for long-term brain health and resilience,” the study noted. (Source: IANS)
