Healthy Diet Reduces Depression Risk

[AussieNeil]

Analysis of 15,000 patient records from a Spanish cohort study started in 1999, has found diet may provide a protective role against depression. Given the stresses of living with an incurable illness like CLL probably aren't helping in that regard, this research might encourage us to rethink our diet to reduce the risk of secondary cancers and depression..,

"While much research has been carried out assessing the role of diet in the prevention of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, far less attention has been paid to the influence of diet on the development of mental disorders."

:

Each participant was free of depression at the start of the study. The researchers assessed the participants' dietary intake with food frequency questionnaires completed at the beginning of the study and then again after 10 years.

Adherence to a selected diet was determined using a scoring system. Food items such as meat products and sweets tended to be negatively scored, while food items such as nuts, legumes, fruits and vegetables were positively weighted.

:

Of the three diets, adherence to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 was associated with the greatest reduction in depression risk. This diet is characterized by high consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole-grain bread, nuts, legumes, long-chain omega-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids intake. "

Overview:

psychiatryadvisor.com/mood-...

More detail on study and findings from Medical News Today:

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

Note that: "As this study is reliant on self-reporting from its participants and only measured dietary adherence at two points in time, the researchers state that more research is needed to explore this possible dose-response pattern. "

Neil

Photo: Sundews (drosera) don't seem to mind a bit of meat in their diet!