A Systematic Review of The Association Between Depressive Symptoms and The Risk of Consuming Obesogenic Diet
ABSTRACT
Background: Depression may be associated with obesogenic diet. We aimed to review the association between depressive symptoms and the risk of consuming obesogenic diet.
Methods: Three databases were searched up to April 2016. Only longitudinal and case-control studies were eligible for inclusion. Three studies were included and critically evaluated. These studies were conducted in Australia, Iran and the USA. The age ranges of participants were from 18 to 72 years. The diverse range of exposure and outcome variables precluded a formal meta-analytic synthesis and so a narrative synthesis was undertaken, according to specific nutritional variables.
Results: The literature review confirms the association between depressive symptoms and the risk of obesogenic diet. There are several distinct ways by which diets can be negatively affected by a history of depression, including self-neglecting behaviour of depressed patients that make them exposed to unhealthy foods and perceived barriers to eating healthier such as it being time consuming. Most of the studies investigated are correlational in nature, thus the effect of depression on an increased intake of unhealthy food must be proved through intervention studies. The studies included in the present review provide evidence that depression is associated with detrimental dietary patterns, including overall exposure to unhealthy diets, perceived barriers to switching to a healthier diet and low consumption of healthy foods.
Conclusions: It is possible that diet may play a part in the relationship between depression and type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Studies which include a biological and psychological analysis component are recommended to further investigate the link between diet and depression.
INTRODUCTION
Depression is a rising global health problem which is ten times more common today than it was in the 1950s. Depression is associated with reduced motivation and decreased well-being.[1] Moreover, 350 million people are affected by it, making.[1] The World Mental Health Survey conducted in 17 countries revealed that5% of people were reported to have had an experience of depression in the previous year.[2] By 2020, depression is likely to become a leading health disorder due to its effect on daily function and its mortality.[1]
Recently, the relationship between depressive symptoms and diet has been an area of interest. The literature offers evidence on the association between depressive symptoms and diet. For instance, Rahe et al. conducted a cross-sectional study on the association between depression subtypes, depression severity and diet quality and found a significant relationship was observed between patients with particular subtypes of depression and diet quality; patients with melancholic depression had a lower intake of refined sugar than patients of the non-melancholic subtypes.[3]
There is empirical evidence that diet can lead to the development of depressive symptoms. In a two-year follow-up prospective study, a moderate consumption of fish (third and fourth quintiles of …
