Mediterranean diet helps fight depression in young men

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) leads to improvements in depressive symptoms among young men with clinical depression, suggests a study.

“Our results demonstrate that compared with befriending, an MD intervention leads to significant increases in Mediterranean Diet Adherence Score (MEDAS), decreases in Beck Depression Inventory Scale—version II (BDI-II) score, and increases in quality of life (QoL) scores,” the investigators said.

This 12-week, parallel-group, open-label, randomized controlled trial examined the effect of an MD intervention in the treatment of moderate to severe depression in 72 young men aged 18‒25 years. Befriending therapy was used in the control group.

The investigators assessed participants at baseline, week 6, and week 12. They measured MD adherence using MEDAS. BDI-II was the primary outcome measure, while QoL was secondary.

The MEDAS scores were significantly higher in the MD group than the befriending group at week 12 (mean difference, 7.8, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 7.23‒8.37; p<0.001). The mean change in BDI-II score was also markedly higher in the MD group than the control group (mean difference, 14.4, 95 percent CI, 11.41‒17.39; p<0.001).

Likewise, the MD group had significantly higher mean change in QoL score relative to that in the befriending group after 12 weeks (mean difference, 12.7, 95 percent CI, 7.92‒17.48; p<0.001).

“These results highlight the important role of nutrition for the treatment of depression and should inform advice given by clinicians to this specific demographic population,” the investigators said.

A common mental health condition, depression affects one in eight males each year, specifically young adults.