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A healthy eating score is inversely associated with depression in older adults: results from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016–2017

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of a healthy eating score with depression in Chilean older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Older adults from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017. Associations were analysed using complex samples multivariable logistic regressions adjusted for age, sex, socio-demographic, lifestyles (physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and sleep duration), BMI and clinical conditions (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia and cardiovascular diseases). PARTICIPANTS: The number of participants was 2031 (≥ 60 years). The Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form was applied to establish the diagnosis of major depressive episode. Six healthy eating habits were considered to produce the healthy eating score (range: 0-12): consumption of seafood, whole grain, dairy, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Participants were categorised according to their final scores as healthy (≥ 9), average (5-8) and unhealthy (≤ 4). RESULTS: Participants with a healthy score had a higher educational level, physical activity and regular sleep hours than participants with an average and unhealthiest healthy eating score. Participants classified in the healthiest healthy eating score had an inverse association with depression (OR: 0·28, (95 % CI 0·10, 0·74)). Food items that contributed the most to this association were legumes (15·2 %) and seafood (12·7 %). CONCLUSION: Older adults classified in the healthiest healthy eating score, characterised by a high consumption of legumes and seafood, showed a lower risk for depression in a representative sample of Chilean population.

Source: Public Health Nutrition

DOI: 10.1017/s1368980021004869

Authors: Fabian Lanuza, Fanny Petermann-Rocha, Carlos Celis-Morales, Yeny Concha-Cisternas, Gabriela Nazar, Claudia Troncoso-Pantoja, Nicole Lassere-Laso, María Adela Martínez-Sanguinetti, Solange Parra-Soto, Raul Zamora-Ros, Cristina Andrés-Lacueva, Tomás Meroño