Introduction:
The field of nutritional psychiatry is a fast-growing one. Although initially, it
focused on the effects of vitamins and micronutrients in mental health, in the last decade, its focus also
extended to the dietary patterns. The possibility of a dietary cost-effective intervention in the most
common mental disorder, depression, cannot be overlooked due to its potential large-scale impact.
Method:
A classic review of the literature was conducted, and studies published between 2010 and
2018 focusing on the impact of dietary patterns in depression and depressive symptoms were included.
Results:
We found 10 studies that matched our criteria. Most studies showed an inverse association between
healthy dietary patterns, rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts and whole grains, and with
low intake of processed and sugary foods, and depression and depressive symptoms throughout an array
of age groups, although some authors reported statistical significance only in women. While most
studies were of cross-sectional design, making it difficult to infer causality, a randomized controlled
trial presented similar results.
Discussion:
he association between dietary patterns and depression is now well-established, although
the exact etiological pathways are still unknown. Dietary intervention, with the implementation of
healthier dietary patterns, closer to the traditional ones, can play an important role in the prevention
and adjunctive therapy of depression and depressive symptoms.
Conclusion:
More large-scale randomized clinical trials need to be conducted, in order to confirm the
association between high-quality dietary patterns and lower risk of depression and depressive symptoms.
Genetic heterogeneity in self-reported depressive symptoms identified through genetic analyses of the PHQ-9
