Global Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery received 111 citations as per Google Scholar report
Archaniotis I. Vasilios1 , Wozniak Greta2 *, Zoe Roupa2 , Mouzas D. Odysseas3 and Constantinos Tsipras4
The role of essential fatty acids in the human body and especially the decreased levels of it in patients with depression is a domain of interest for many researchers. The aim of the present study is to investigate the correlation between consumption of food rich in omega- 3 fatty acids and depressive symptoms in the general population at the area of Larissa, central Greece. The sample consisted of 300 individuals (mean age 41.01, 137 men (46%) and 163 women (54%), randomly selected by the method of stratified multistage sampling. The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were used in order to investigate the relationship between food consumption and depression. A statistically significant negative correlation was detected between fish consumption and score at the BDI-II (- 0.451, p<0.01). As concern the kind of fish consumed by our sample, statistically significant negative correlation was also detected by Pearson's Correlation Test. Individuals with increased consumption of fatty fish (rich in omega-3 fatty acids) have reduced scores at the BDI-II (- 0.453, p<0.01). The same statistical difference was found among the combined consumption of fish, seafood and food supplements (containing omega-3 fatty acids) and BDI-II score (-0.480, p<0.01). Finally, the combined consumption of fruit, vegetables and nuts was negatively correlated with BDI-II score (-0.260, p<0.01). The present study indicates that depressed mood in our sample is negatively associated with dietary intakes of food rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It is also clear that omega-3 fatty acids should be delivered in a dietary framework that includes and other important nutrients contained in fruits, vegetables and nuts.
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