WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In a recent study carried out by the University of Colorado Boulder and published in the journal Biological Research, it was found that the consumption of foods high in fat and sugar during stressful periods might disrupt gut bacteria, impact behavior, and influence brain chemicals, leading to symptoms of anxiety and depression.
The study involved an experiment using adolescent rats which were split into two groups: one group was fed a standard diet with about 11% fat, while the other group was given a high-fat diet containing 45% fat, primarily sourced from saturated animal fats, over a nine-week period.
Throughout the study, fecal samples were collected weekly from both groups to monitor changes in their gut microbiota. Following the dietary intervention, the rats underwent behavioral tests to assess anxiety-like behavior.
The study found that rats fed a high-fat diet had significantly different gut microbiota profiles compared to those on a standard diet. Specifically, the high-fat diet led to a decrease in gut bacterial diversity, which is typically linked to health issues such as obesity and metabolic disorders. Behavioral assessments revealed that rats on the high-fat diet displayed more anxiety-like behaviors than those on the standard diet.
Lead author Christopher Lowry, a professor of integrative physiology at CU Boulder, stated, 'Everyone knows that these are not healthy foods, but we tend to think about them strictly in terms of a little weight gain. If you understand that they also impact your brain in a way that can promote anxiety, that makes the stakes even higher.'
The study does have limitations, including its reliance on an animal model, which may not fully reflect human physiology and behavior. It is therefore suggested that future research should focus on validating these findings in human subjects, exploring the specific mechanisms of gut-brain communication, and investigating the impact of various dietary fats.
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