Food does more than fuel your body. It may also shape how you feel as you age.
Here in Northern Illinois, comfort food is part of the culture, from ballpark hot dogs to bakery-case pastries. Long winters and long commutes add hours of sitting. Research suggests those habits deserve a closer look.
A recent article, “The Hidden Link Between Stress and Chronic Inflammation,” explained how chronic stress can fuel inflammation throughout the body. What is on your plate may be another trigger.
What is an Inflammatory Diet?
An inflammatory diet is an eating pattern that tends to promote inflammation in the body. Researchers score it with a tool called the Dietary Inflammatory Index. A higher score means a more proinflammatory diet.
The study (described in detail here by Destiny Healthcare Services) below names ultra-processed meat products and pastries as examples of proinflammatory foods. Around here, that could mean hot dogs, sausages, deli meats, and doughnuts. An anti-inflammatory pattern leans toward vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and fish.
What the Research Found
Researchers in Spain followed older adults who had no depression diagnosis at the start. They scored each person’s usual diet, then watched for new cases of depression.
The study included more than 3,200 adults with an average age of about 71. Over roughly two to three years, 226 of them developed depression or depressive symptoms. People with the most inflammatory diets had about twice the odds of depression as people with the least inflammatory diets.
Key Facts
- The two Spanish study groups included 1,627 and 1,579 older adults.
- New cases of depression were identified in 86 people (5.3%) and 140 people (8.9%).
- The pooled odds ratio for depression was 2.07 for the most versus least inflammatory diets.
The lesson is not to ban your favorites. It is to notice how often they show up. A hot dog at the ballpark is different from processed meat every day.
A related study from the same Spanish research program looked at movement. Nearly 2,500 adults aged 65 to 94 wore wrist activity monitors, and researchers tracked a combined score of strength, mobility, thinking, mood, vision, and hearing for about 5.5 years. Brisk, moderate-to-vigorous activity was linked with improvement, while more sedentary time was linked with decline.
Increasing Activity through the Day
- Each added 15 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous activity was associated with a 0.63% improvement in the combined score.
- Each added 15 minutes a day of sedentary time was associated with a 0.29% decline.
- Replacing 15 minutes of sedentary time with moderate-to-vigorous activity was associated with a 0.92% improvement.
The practical lesson is that pace matters. Light activity alone did not show the same link, so a brisk walk on a forest preserve trail may do more than a slow stroll. When sidewalks ice over, an indoor track or a shopping mall works too.
Sitting less counts as well. Trade part of an evening on the couch for a brisk walk, or pace during phone calls.
What This Means for Life in Northern Illinois
Our region makes healthy habits harder for part of the year. Cold, dark months invite heavy meals and long stretches indoors. Plan ahead by stocking frozen vegetables, cooking vegetable soup, or joining a park district walking group.
In the warmer months, local farmers markets make fresh produce easier to find. Lakefront paths, river trails, and neighborhood parks offer free places to walk briskly.
Keep the findings in perspective. These studies followed older adults in Spain, and they show links, not cause and effect.
If you want a plan built around your own health needs, ask your primary care provider about medical nutrition therapy. A registered dietitian can review your eating habits, your medical conditions, and your goals.
What is medical nutrition therapy? Medical nutrition therapy is personalized nutrition care provided by a registered dietitian nutritionist. It includes a review of your eating habits and health history, a tailored eating plan, and follow-up support.
Pay attention to your mood as well. If you have felt down or withdrawn for a while, tell your provider. Ask, too, whether brisker activity is safe for you.
Conclusion
These studies add to the case that daily habits and healthy aging are connected. They do not prove that changing your diet or routine will prevent depression.
Your plate and your daily walk are still good places to start. If you live in Northern Illinois or the Chicago area, talk with a local provider about your diet, activity, and mood.
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References
Bizzozero-Peroni, B., Ortolá, R., Martínez-Vizcaíno, V., Rodríguez-Artalejo, F., Fernández-Rodríguez, R., Banegas, J. R., Lopez-Garcia, E., & Mesas, A. E. (2022). Proinflammatory dietary pattern and depression risk in older adults: Prospective analyses from the Seniors-ENRICA studies. Clinical Nutrition, 41(12), 2614–2620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2022.10.007
Sánchez-Sánchez, J. L., Ortolá, R., Banegas, J. R., Lucia, A., Rodríguez-Artalejo, F., Sotos-Prieto, M., & Valenzuela, P. L. (2025). Association between physical activity and sedentary behaviour and changes in intrinsic capacity in Spanish older adults (Seniors-ENRICA-2): A prospective population-based study. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 6, Article 100681.
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