"There isn't any convincing evidence from this study to suggest that consumption of acrylamide in fried food causes anxiety or depression," says Bohl.In the new study, the researchers referenced separate research that looked at how zebrafish responded to long-term acrylamide exposure.
The connection between acrylamide in fried foods and depression and anxiety"is one hypothesis the researchers put forward, but the research in zebrafish is very limited and isn't easily translatable to humans," explains Bohl."In separate research, there is evidence that very high doses of acrylamide can cause cancer in animals, but this also has not been clearly shown in humans.
Bohl also notes that it may not be fried food consumption that increases the risk of depression and anxiety—but rather, coping with anxiety and depression might compel someone to eat more fried foods."It's possible that instead of fried food leading to anxiety or depression, people with anxiety or depression are more drawn to fried food," he said.
However, while occasionally eating fried foods likely won't cause major issues, consuming them very frequently may impact some people's mental health in more indirect ways. Bohl said that fried foods are typically high in calories and saturated fats, so maintaining a diet that emphasizes these foods over healthier alternatives like fruits and vegetables can lead to issues like obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.