In April 2019, researchers in France and the UK published a study in the European Journal of Nutrition, showing a connection between depression and diet.
What did they study?
Researchers analyzed the diet and depression of nearly 5,000 men and women over a period of 11 years.
What did they find?
What they discovered was that participants whose diet most closely followed the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 had a 19% lower risk of recurring depression symptoms than those who followed it the least. As well, those whose adherence to the AHEI-2010 dropped over time had an 134% increase in odds of developing recurrent depression symptoms compared to those who continued following it the closest.
What is AHEI-2010?
The Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 basically comes down to this:
Consume more:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Whole grains
- Nuts and legumes
- Omega-3 fatty acids
Consume less:
- Sugar-sweetened drinks
- Fruit juice
- Red meatSodium
- Alcohol
This is one more study in a growing body of research showing a connection between what we eat and our mental health. Here at Truehope, we’ve been promoting nutrition as mental health treatment for over 20 years.