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A systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary patterns and depression in community-dwelling adults
Studies of single nutrients on depression have produced inconsistent results, and do not consider the complex interactions between nutrients that exist within foods and dietary patterns. Therefore, a growing body of literature aims at investigating the relationship between overall dietary patterns and depression. To that end, Lai JS et al. (2014) conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of studies investigating the association between dietary patterns and depression in community-dwelling adults.
Lai et al. searched through six electronic databases, selecting methodologically rigorous articles that were published up to August 2013 which investigated the association between diet patterns and depression in adults. Study selection, quality rating and data extraction were completed by two independent reviewers. Effect sizes of eligible studies were pooled using random-effects models, and findings that could not be meta-analyzed had their summaries presented.
A total of 21 studies were identified, and results from 13 observational studies were pooled. The results found two main dietary patterns – a “healthy” pattern, with a high intake of fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains, and a “Western pattern”, composed of refined grains, processed meat foods or snacks, and high-sugar and high-fat products. Findings showed that the healthy diet pattern was significantly associated with reduced odds for depression. On the other hand, while there was no significant association found between the Western diet and depression, the authors note that the studies were too few to provide a precise estimate of this effect. Lai et al. conclude that more high-quality randomized controlled and cohort trials are needed to confirm these findings, specifically those that would explore the temporal sequence of this association between dietary patterns and depression in community-dwelling adults. [NPID: depression, western, healthy, dietary pattern, community-dwelling].
Year: 2014
