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Associations of the intake of individual and multiple fatty acids with depressive symptoms among adults in NHANES 2007–2018
Previous research has primarily focused on the impact of individual fatty acids on depressive symptoms, but there is limited data on how combinations of fatty acids influence the risk of depression. This study by Wang et al. (2024) examines the relationship between both individual and combined fatty acids and depressive symptoms in U.S. adults. Data on adults over the age of 18 (collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES], 2007–2018], with complete information on dietary fatty acid intake, depressive symptoms, and other covariates, was used for the study. After adjusting for potential confounders, increases of one unit in Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA), Linoleic Acid (LA), Arachidonic Acid (AA), Docosapentaenoic Acid (DPA), and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) were found to be associated with decreases in depressive scores. On the other hand, higher depressed ratings were associated with higher levels of octanoic and hexanoic acids. Further data analysis showed that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were inversely related to depressive symptoms, with ALA and DPA emerging as the most significant contributors. Regarding limitations, the authors comment that the cross-sectional nature of the study makes it difficult to prove causation, and the 24-hour dietary recall may not accurately reflect individuals’ true eating patterns. With the exception of octadecatetraenoic acid, this study shows that individual PUFAs are often inversely correlated with depressed symptoms. Additionally, higher combined intake of PUFAs is associated with lower depressive symptoms in U.S. adults, with ALA and DPA being key contributors. However, the role of DHA in combination with other fatty acids requires further investigation, as its effects may vary. [NPID: fatty acids, depressive symptoms, polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary intake, U.S. adults, ALA, DPA, DHA, dose-response, NHANES]
Year: 2024
