Adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern is inversely associated with depression, anxiety and psychological distress

Psychological disorders and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet

This study examined 3,172 Iranian adults in order to correlate adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MeD) and the prevalence of psychological disorders. Participants aged 18-55 were included in this cohort, and their psychological health, psychological distress, dietary intake, and adherence to the MeD were all assessed through the use of the Iranian validated version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and Trichopoulou et al. method, respectively. Participants most adherent to the MeD showed a lower risk for depression (OR=0.60), anxiety (OR=0.61), and psychological distress (OR=0.60) compared to those with the lowest adherence. When examining the components of the MeD, the study inversely associated high fruit and vegetable consumption with risk of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, while grains were positively associated with depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. [NPID: Iran, Mediterranean diet, psychological disorder, distress, stress, dietary intake, anxiety, depression, fruit, vegetables, FV intake]

Year: 2021

Reference: Akbaraly, T. N., Sabia, S., Shipley, M. J., Batty, G. D., & Kivimaki, M. (2013). Adherence to healthy dietary guidelines and future depressive symptoms: evidence for sex differentials in the Whitehall II study. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 97(2), 419–427. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.041582