Mediterranean Diet May Prevent Depression in Older Age

A study presented at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting suggested the Mediterranean diet can protect against depression in old age, reports Healio . "Following a healthy lifestyle, which includes not only a Mediterranean-style diet, but also plenty of physical activity and drinking alcohol only in moderation, is linked to a reduction in depression," said Hellenic Open University's Konstantinos Argyropoulos. His team estimated that 64.3 percent of study participants were moderately compliant with the Mediterranean diet, and although adherence was not significantly linked to the Geriatric Depression Scale, a physician diagnosis of depression was significantly connected to the MedDietScore. A logistical regression analysis determined each unit increase in consumption of vegetables lowered participants' likelihood of developing depression symptoms by 20 percent. The probability of developing depression declined 36.1 percent for each unit decrease in poultry consumption, and 28 percent for each unit decrease in alcohol consumption.