Mediterranean Style diet may prevent depression
1st November 2009
Consuming a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes along with fish, olive oil and non-refined carbohydrates may prevent depression, according to recently released research.
The Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) has long been touted as the healthy way to live, with its main ingredients considered health promoting. Research has linked MDP to protection from some cancers, most recently breast cancer, and lowered rates of heart disease.
Depression is one of the most common of all mental health problems. One in five people experience depression at some stage of their lives. Depression is now considered Australia’s most debilitating illness, accounting for 8% of all years lived with disability and over $3 billion annually in direct and indirect costs. With the rapid expansion in management of depressive disorders there has been an increased level of prescribing of antidepressant medications, with growing concern from the wider community.
In this most recent Spanish study, researchers set out to assess the association between adherence to the MDP and the incidence of clinical depression. They analysed dietary intake of over 10,000 healthy volunteers and assessed their adherence via a nine component index score including: a high ratio of Monounsaturated fats to Saturated Fatty acids, moderate alcohol intake (wine), high intake of fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish and unrefined legumes and cereals, with a low intake of meat and moderate intake of milk and dairy products.
After an average of 4.4 years of follow-up, the researchers found that the closest adherence to the Mediterranean diet, indicated by higher diet score, was associated with a protective role of the MDP with regard to the prevention of depressive disorders.
The authors agree that ‘the specific mechanisms by which a better adherence to the Mediterranean diet helps prevent the occurrence of depression are not well known’ and suggest ‘the role of the overall dietary pattern may be more important than the effect of single components’.
Overall, the Mediterranean diet pattern continues to be linked to a lowered incidence of many chronic diseases and the authors summarise its action in relation to depression as ’the synergistic combination of a sufficient provision of Omega-3 fatty acids together with other natural unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants from olive oil and nuts, flavanoids, and other phytochemicals from fruit and other plant foods and large amounts of natural folates and other B vitamins in the overall MDP may exert a fair degree of protection against depression’.
References available on request.
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