Study fruits and vegetables counteract depression

How does a healthy diet affect depression??

More and more people in our society suffer from depression today. Often, medications are then taken to reduce these onset of depression. Researchers have now found that eating the right diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains can also reduce depression.

The physicians at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found in their study that consuming vegetables, fruits and whole grains can reduce depression. The results of the study will be presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, April 21-27, 2018 in Los Angeles.

Fruits and vegetables are healthy for the body and even protect against depression. (Image: Alexander Raths / fotolia.com)

What is the DASH diet?

The researchers found in their research that people whose diet was more on the nutritional approaches to stopping hypertension (hypertension), were less likely to develop depression compared to other people eating. In addition to fruits and vegetables, this so-called DASH diet recommends fat-free or low-fat dairy and some foods that are high in saturated fats and sugars. Other studies have already identified health benefits of this form of nutrition, such as lowering high blood pressure and bad cholesterol (LDL), as well as assisting weight loss and reducing body weight.

Which people often develop depression?

Depression is more common in older adults, more often affects people with memory problems, vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol and people who have had a stroke, "explains the study author. Laurel Cherian from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago in a press release.

As a change in lifestyle, such as a change in diet, is often preferred over medication, physicians wanted to see if a particular form of diet could be an effective way to reduce the risk of depression.

964 subjects participated in the study

For the study, a total of 964 participants with an average age of 81 years were observed for an average of six and a half years. Subjects were monitored for symptoms of depression during this period. They also filled out questionnaires on how often they consumed different foods, and the researchers looked at how much the participants' diet intake was due to specific forms of diet, such as the DASH diet, the Mediterranean diet or traditional western diet.

DASH diet reduced the likelihood of depression

The participants were divided into three groups, depending on how closely they followed the diet. The people in the two groups who underwent the DASH diet developed less depression than the other subjects. The likelihood of depression over time was 11 percent lower for participants in the DASH group than for those with the worst results. It was also observed that people who ate a traditional western diet (rich in saturated fats and red meats and low in fruits and vegetables) were at an increased risk of developing depression.

Further studies are needed

The study does not prove that the DASH diet leads to a reduced risk of depression, it merely shows an association, says Dr. Cherian. "Future studies are now needed to confirm these results and identify the best nutritional components of the DASH diet that prevent depression later in life and best help people keep their brains healthy," the expert adds. (As)