
If you reach for chocolate when you're feeling blue, you've got lots of company. In fact, a new study suggests that chocolate may be a common means of self-medicating depression. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, looked at chocolate consumption among 931 men and women, none of whom were taking anti-depressants. Each participant was asked how much chocolate he or she ate, and individual depression levels were measured on a standardized scale. The upshot was that the participants identified as having a depressed mood ate an average of 8.4 servings of chocolate per month, compared with 5.4 servings among those who were not considered depressed; the most depressed ate about 11.8 servings a month.
No differences emerged between men and women. And the researchers reported no differences in consumption of other types of food between participants who were depressed and those who weren't. One possible explanation for the findings: chocolate contributes to depression instead of the other way around. But that seems unlikely, as other studies have indicated that chocolate may improve mood.
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