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A narrative review of the association between healthy dietary patterns and depression
The aim of this review by Apostolakopoulou et al. (2024) is to explore how healthy eating habits and the quality of one’s diet are linked to the risk of depression. Nutritional psychiatry seeks to understand how nutrition and specific nutrients impact mental health scientifically. An increasing amount of research indicates that our diet may have an impact on our risk of developing depression. Conversely, there’s an indication that unhealthy diets might heighten the risk of depression. This expanding body of research suggests that dietary changes may aid in the prevention or treatment of depression. In this review, the authors examined the following diets: Vegetarianism, MedDiet, and DASH (Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). The authors searched for pertinent research published in the previous five years using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The research suggests that diets emphasizing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fish and minimizing processed foods are linked to a lower likelihood of experiencing depression. The strongest evidence supports the benefits of the MedDiet, with some positive findings for the DASH diet. Results regarding the vegetarian diet are mixed. Additionally, consistently lower levels of Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) are linked to reduced depression risk. Furthermore, individuals with depression were found to consume poorer diets, characterized by lower intake of fruits and vegetables. This observation suggests that dietary interventions should be integrated as a crucial component of comprehensive treatment approaches. More thorough research is still needed to completely comprehend the connection between healthy eating habits and mental health. Specifically, well-designed interventional and longitudinal studies could provide deeper insights. [NPID: Mental health, depression, healthy dietary pattern, vegetarian diet, dash diet, Mediterranean diet]
Year: 2024
