From Hugh & Margaret Fletcher

Re: Link between fast food, depression "confirmed" (April 2): Surely this is a case of which came first, early depression or overeating. It is entirely likely that someone with preclinical levels of depression will not be motivated to spend time prepareing or selecting food carefully but on the contrary will indulge in excessive "comfort eating" to cheer themselves up. The study equally supports this hypothesis that consumption of fast foods can be an early symptom of depression, and that regulating the sale of fast food is irrelevant to the development of deprssion, it might actually delay the onset of clinical levels of depression which would occur earlier if the slightly depressed person was unable to eat conveniently and so went without food, or ate sweets or alcohol instead.