A 2013 study from the University of California found that “more trans fats were significantly associated with greater aggression.” The new study suggests that fast food is depressing and reduces people’s ability to control their emotions, while quitting fast food improves mood. The study, published in June in the Journal of Health Psychology, explored the relationship between trans fats, which are often found in fast food and cakes, and mood management, according to a June 23 report on the website of Britain’s Independent newspaper. Scientists at the Research Foundation at the State University of San Diego utilized archival data from just under 5,000 people – 1,699 men and 3,293 women – to measure their trans fat intake and observe their emotional responses. The study noted that people who consumed more trans fats had “difficulties with emotional awareness,” meaning they had lower levels of emotional “clarity. In contrast, people who consumed less trans fat were associated with “increased positive affect and decreased negative affect” and were better able to control their emotions. The findings are consistent with earlier research. A 2013 study from the University of California found that “more trans fats were significantly associated with greater aggression”. Diets rich in trans fats are linked to higher levels of cholesterol in the blood, and high cholesterol can lead to diseases such as heart disease and stroke, the report said. However, the mental health dangers posed by trans fats have not been so universally recognized. Alex Richardson, an Oxford researcher and head of the charity Food and Behavior Research, says: “We know that the diets that damage our physical health are also damaging to our minds. We have pretty good evidence, but the scientific community insists on ‘randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled tests’. Such tests are hard to do, especially if done over a long period of time. Therefore, we should look at the combined strength of the evidence.”