The Study
Association between ketogenic diets and depression: A cross-sectional analysis of the NHANES 2005-2023 August.
This study looked at a bunch of people and found that those who ate more fat and fewer carbs tended to report feeling less sad. But it didn't watch them over time, so we don't know if eating that way made them feel better, or if people who felt sad just ate differently.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at what people ate and how they felt in a big U.S. health survey and found that people who ate more fat and fewer carbs tended to feel less sad.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This doesn't prove eating keto cures sadness, but it suggests a strong pattern worth studying further — especially for middle-aged and older adults.
- 2People with a ketogenic diet ratio below 0.35 had 89% lower odds of depression.
- 3Higher ratios were linked to less severe depression symptoms.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
Year
2025
Authors
Hao Ren, Zhihao Wang, Yu-ru Yuan, Yuze He, Wenhao Li, Yuhang Ou, Shuxin Zhang, Siliang Chen, Junhong Li, Yunhui Zeng, Yanhui Liu
Related Content
Claims (4)
In U.S. adults, a ketogenic diet ratio below 0.35 is linked to 89% lower odds of depression compared to higher ratios, based on data from nearly 29,000 people surveyed between 2005 and 2023.
People with a ketogenic diet ratio below 0.35 have lower depression risk compared to those with higher ratios, and this relationship is not linear but has a distinct threshold.
People who follow a ketogenic diet with a higher fat-to-carbohydrate ratio have a lower risk of depression, even when accounting for differences in income, education, race, marital status, and lifestyle habits.
In U.S. adults, a higher ratio of ketogenic diet intake is linked to lower levels of depression severity, based on data from nearly 29,000 people surveyed between 2005 and 2023.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.