Overview

• A German-led study reports that higher soft drink intake correlates with increased odds of major depressive disorder and greater symptom severity, with stronger associations in women.
• Gut profiling showed lower microbial alpha-diversity with higher consumption and a higher abundance of Eggerthella, while Hungatella did not show a significant association.
• Mediation analyses indicated Eggerthella accounted for about 3.8% of the link with diagnosis and 5.0% of the link with symptom severity, suggesting a small but measurable role.
• Researchers compared 405 adults with major depressive disorder to 527 controls, assessed past-year intake using a validated 101-item FFQ2, and included both medicated and unmedicated patients.
• Authors stress the observational design and limited effect sizes, urging nutritional counseling in clinical care and proposing policy measures to reduce soft drink consumption pending further trials.