众所周知，常吃炸薯条会引发肥胖、高血压，危害身体健康，如今，炸薯条又多了一宗“罪”。最新研究指出，常吃油炸食品尤其是炸薯条更容易患上焦虑症和抑郁症。

French fries are comfort food for many. But reaching for fried foods may have a negative impact on mental health.

炸薯条是很多人喜爱的爽心美食，然而吃油炸食品却可能给心理健康带来不利影响。

A research team in Hangzhou, China, found that frequent consumption of fried foods, especially fried potatoes, was linked with a 12% higher risk of anxiety and 7% higher risk of depression than in people who didn't eat fried foods.

杭州的一个研究团队发现，常吃油炸食品尤其是炸薯条的人，相比不吃油炸食品的人，患焦虑症和抑郁症的可能性分别高出12%和7%。

Fried foods are known risk factors for obesity, high blood pressure and other health effects. These results “open an avenue in the significance of reducing fried food consumption for mental health,” according to the paper published Monday in the journal PNAS.

众所周知，油炸食品是引发肥胖症、高血压和其他健康问题的风险因素。4月24日发表在《美国科学院院报》上的这份报告指出，研究结果“指出了少吃油炸食品对于心理健康的重要性”。

However, experts who study nutrition said the results are preliminary, and it's not necessarily clear whether the fried foods were driving mental health issues, or people experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety turned to fried foods.

然而，营养学专家表示，这些只是初步研究结果,到底是油炸食品引发心理健康问题，还是有抑郁和焦虑症状的人爱吃油炸食品，尚未可知。

The study evaluated 140,728 people over 11.3 years. After excluding participants diagnosed with depression within the first two years, a total of 8,294 cases of anxiety and 12,735 cases of depression were found in those that consumed fried food, while specifically fried potatoes were found to have a 2% increase in risk of depression over fried white meat.

这项研究在11.3年时间内对140728人进行了评估。在头两年排除掉参与研究的抑郁症确诊患者后，研究发现爱吃油炸食品的人当中有8294例患有焦虑症，12735例患有抑郁症。爱吃炸薯条的人相比爱吃炸白肉的人患抑郁症的风险要高出2%。

The study had also found that the participants consuming more than one serving of fried food regularly were more likely to be younger men.

研究还发现，年轻男性更可能会定期摄入一份以上的油炸食品。

Unhealthy food and poor nutrition can lower one’s mood and progress a mental health condition, as found in a prior study cited within this new one.

这项新研究援引先前的一项研究结果称，不健康的饮食和营养不良会让人情绪低落，加重心理疾病。

In the new study, the researchers suggest that acrylamide, a chemical formed during the frying process, especially in fried potatoes, is to blame for the higher risk of anxiety and depression.

研究人员在新研究中指出，油炸过程中尤其在炸薯条时产生的化学物质丙烯酰胺是焦虑和抑郁风险增加的元凶。

In a separate paper referenced in the new study, the researchers exposed zebrafish to the chemical, finding that long-term exposure had caused the fish to dwell in dark zones within the tank, a common sign of a higher anxiety level in the fish.

在报告提到的另一项研究中，研究人员将斑马鱼暴露在这种化学物质当中，结果发现，长时间接触丙烯酰胺会导致斑马鱼徘徊在鱼缸中的阴暗区域，这通常意味着鱼变得更焦虑了。

The zebrafish had also displayed a reduced ability to explore their tanks and socialize, as they did not swim closely with other zebrafish, even though zebrafish are known to form schools with their species.

与此同时，斑马鱼不愿意在鱼缸中到处游了，社交能力也下降了，不爱和其他斑马鱼同游了，尽管我们知道斑马鱼是很喜欢与同类成群结队的。

“The health effects of fried food will depend greatly on what food is fried and what type of fat is used for frying,” said Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, via email. “Potatoes are a concern for possible effects of mood because they can cause large surges in blood sugar and then hormonal responses to these surges. However, these surges are partly blunted by fat, which would be provided by the fat from frying.”

哈佛大学陈曾熙公共卫生学院的流行病学和营养学教授威利特在电子邮件中说道：“油炸食品对健康的影响取决于油炸的是什么食物以及油炸用的是哪种脂肪。土豆可能会影响情绪，因为土豆会引起血糖飙升，并引发内分泌反应。不过，油炸中所用的脂肪也会引起血糖飙升，从而部分掩盖了土豆的作用。”

Willett also noted that acrylamide isn’t only produced by frying. It’s in coffee, because of the roasting of the beans, and in toast, because “heating carbohydrates together with protein can do this.”

威利特还指出，不是只有油炸才会产生丙烯酰胺。咖啡中也含有丙烯酰胺，因为咖啡豆的焙炒也会产生这种化学物质，因为“碳水化合物和蛋白质一起加热就会产生（丙烯酰胺）”。

Zhejiang University researcher Yu Zhang, an author of the study, said in an email that “there is no need to panic about the adverse effects of fried food.” But maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing consumption of fried foods may be helpful for mental health in addition to overall health.

该研究的作者之一、浙江大学研究人员张宇（音译）在一封电子邮件中说“没必要对油炸食品的有害影响感到恐慌”。但是保持健康的生活方式、少吃油炸食品可能有助于心理健康和整体健康。

The researchers had pointed to a recent rise in depression and anxiety worldwide, with 2020 seeing an increase of 27.6% and 25.6%, respectively. The World Health Organization also estimates that more than 5% of adults suffer from depression, globally, as noted in the paper.

研究人员指出近年来世界范围内的抑郁症和焦虑症病例有所增加，2020年抑郁症和焦虑症病例分别增加了27.6%和25.6%。研究还指出，据世界卫生组织估计，全世界每年有5%的成年人患有抑郁症。

英文来源：美国有线电视新闻网

翻译&编辑：丹妮