Prospective study on long-term dietary patterns and incident depression in middle-aged and older women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although individual nutrients have been investigated in relation to depression risk, little is known about the overall role of diet in depression.

Objective

We examined whether long-term dietary patterns derived from a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) predict the development of depression in middle-aged and older women.

Design

We conducted a prospective study in 50,605 participants (age range: 50-77 y) without depression in the Nurses' Health Study at baseline (1996) who were followed until 2008. Long-term diet was assessed by using FFQs every 4 y since 1986. Prudent (high in vegetables) and Western (high in meats) patterns were identified by using a principal component analysis. We used 2 definitions for clinical depression as follows: a strict definitio

SUBMITTER: Chocano-Bedoya PO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3743738 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature