For those whose diet includes high-fat, high-sugar junk foods, there appears to be a way to counteract the depression-like feeling with exercise. The study from Ireland, published in the journal Brain Medicine, by no means condones junk food, but helps explain the gut-brain connection. Research used laboratory animals fed a standard diet or a variety of high-fat, high-sugar foods. Each group had access to exercise wheels. The study revealed voluntary exercise created an antidepressant benefit for animals consuming a diet similar to the fast-food or junk food diets in humans. Researchers noted that animals on a standard, healthier diet also increased antidepressant effects, helping to understand why exercise is beneficial even without improvements in diet.