‘Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable.’ –Woody Allen
A recent study examined the correlation between chocolate consumption and self-reported depression symptoms. (…)
The authors caution that cross-sectional studies have limited ability to explain correlations and are open to spurious findings. They note there findings are compatible with several possibilities:
• Depression drives craving for chocolate as a self-treatment
• Depression drives craving for chocolate for other reasons
• Chocolate may contribute to depressive symptoms
• A physiological factor could drive both depressive symptoms and chocolate consumption
• A more complex undefined relationship could exist
I’d vote for the last option. (…)
To be balanced, it must be noted that other studies found positive health associations with chocolate intake. In an older sample of Finnish men, chocolate preference as a sweet was linked to better overall health, optimism and better psychological well-being.
