Tough on your body, tough on your mood: the negative effect of dieting

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Watching calories, keto, no sugar, all forms of a diet: a conscious choice that requires discipline and perseverance. Maybe you still get some motivation from it sometimes, because you know what you are doing it for. But whether it makes you happier is still the question.

The answer to obesity and dieting is therefore: no. A large-scale American study among more than 28,000 adults shows that they most often experience a reduced mood while following a diet . Why does a diet, despite good intentions, often not lead to a better mood science site Scientias.nl spoke with Venkat Bhat, one of the authors of this study.

How was the study conducted? The researchers looked at data from 28,525 Americans who participated in a national health survey. They completed a questionnaire that assessed their depressive symptoms and whether they were currently dieting to lose weight or for health reasons. The results showed that people who followed a low-calorie diet had higher levels of depressive symptoms than people who did not diet. This was especially the case for people who were overweight or obese .

The results showed a clear picture. People who consumed fewer calories scored slightly higher on the depression scale on average than people who did not diet, especially those who were overweight. Avoiding fat or sugar was even more strongly associated with higher scores on the depression scale. Eating low in calories mainly caused emotional complaints such as gloom, while skipping fat and sugar mainly led to physical complaints such as fatigue. Men suffered more from this than women, whose complaints were slightly less pronounced.

Venkat Bhat explains what the research revealed: “People who eat fewer calories are more likely to experience depressive symptoms than people who don’t diet, especially if they are overweight.” He adds: “Because we only looked at one point in time in this study, we can’t say that diet is always the cause.”

Bhat further explains: “Restrictive diets can lead to increased psychological distress, especially in people who already struggle with weight-related problems . The emotional burden of dieting, combined with frustration over not meeting goals, can contribute to depressive symptoms.” So dieting is not equally motivating for everyone.

The research also shows a clear difference between men's and women's changing moods, Bhat says: “Men and women may experience or interpret dietary restrictions and body image insecurities differently, which can lead to different emotional responses.”

According to the study, men generally had to deal with complaints more severely than women. In them, all types of diets caused more physical complaints. Nutrient deficiencies also led to more emotional problems in them. Women fared slightly better. But biological and hormonal differences, such as the influence of sex hormones on mood regulation, can also play a role in this.

So is it better to stop dieting altogether if it’s putting you in a bad mood? Bhat says: “Our findings underline the need for a balanced approach to weight loss. Extreme or poorly planned restrictive diets can be detrimental to mental health, especially in certain groups. So rather than crashing on 500 calories a day, choose something that suits you and won’t wreck you.”