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# Could eating chocolate raise depression risk?
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/could_eating_chocolate_raise_depression_risk_2704100953/
- Published: 2010-04-27T21:52:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:03:03.000Z
- Description: A survey of 931 men and women not on antidepressants found those screening as depressed ate 8.4 servings of chocolate a month against 5.4 for the rest, rising to about 12 with major depression. The researchers say the data show no causal direction either way.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Researchers reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine that people who ate more chocolate were more likely to be depressed.

The observation does not mean eating chocolate is the cause of depression as the research did not reveal any causal relation between chocolate consumption and risk of depression.

Dr. Natalie Rose of the University of California, Davis, and University of California, San Diego, and colleagues found depressed people at an average of 8.4 servings of chocolate per month, compared to 5.4 servings in those who were not.

The more you are depressed, the more chocolate you would eat. Those who were diagnosed with major depression ate about 12 servings per month, the researchers found.

One serving is about 1 ounce or 28 grams of chocolate, according to Reuters.

Rose and colleagues surveyed 931 men and women who were not using antidepressants for their consumption of chocolate using a food frequency questionnaire and their mood using a common depression scale.

The researchers said depression could stimulate chocolate cravings or eating chocolate could cause people to feel depressed.

Earlier studies suggest eating chocolate can improve mood.

DL