Preventing the recurrence of depression with a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil. The PREDI-DEP trial: Study protocol

This 2019 clinical trial focused on extra-virgin olive oil and whether its addition to the Mediterrranean diet can effectively reduce the recurrence of depression and improve its symptoms. The design was a two-arm, parallel-group study: arm 1 being the extra virgin olive oil-enriched Mediterranean diet; arm 2 being the control group without a modification. Dieticians kept in regular contact with the intervention group through web platforms or by phone, while psychiatrists and clinical psychologists conducted evaluations (semi-structured clinical interviews: Spanish SCID-I) to determine depression recurrence. Depressive symptoms were examined using the Beck Depression Inventory. Data was also collected on the participants’ quality of life, levels of physical activity, dietary habits, as well as their blood, urine, and stool samples. This data was collected at the start of the study and once in each of the following years. This clinical trial may be the first ongoing randomised clinical trial designed to assess the role of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of recurrent depression. If proven to be effective, this could provide a cost-effective approach to avoid recurrence and improve quality of life. [NPID: depression, Mediterranean diet, extra-virgin olive oil, cost-effective, quality of life]

Year: 2019

Reference: Sánchez-Villegas, A., Cabrera-Suárez, B., Molero, P., González-Pinto, A., Chiclana-Actis, C., Cabrera, C., Lahortiga-Ramos, F., Florido-Rodríguez, M., Vega-Pérez, P., Vega-Pérez, R., Pla, J., Calviño-Cabada, M. J., Ortuño, F., Navarro, S., Almeida, Y., & Hernández-Fleta, J. L. (2019). Preventing the recurrence of depression with a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil. The PREDI-DEP trial: study protocol. BMC psychiatry, 19(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-019-2036-4