08 Mar Supplements Did Not Prevent Depression in Study of Obese Adults
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Visser
Prof. Marjolein Visser PhD
Professor of Healthy Aging
Head section Nutrition and Health
Department of Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Amsterdam Public Health research institute
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: More than 40 million Europeans experience a major depressive disorder. One in ten men, and one in five women suffer from clinical depression at least once during their lifetime. Depression is one of the most prevalent and disabling disorders in the EU.
Given the increasing prevalence of depression, more people are actively searching for ways to decrease their risk through lifestyle modification, but are often overwhelmed by confusing and contradictory information.
The MooDFOOD prevention trial is the largest randomized clinical trial to study the effects of nutritional strategies on the prevention of major depressive disorder. Over 1000 overweight or obese participants identified as being at elevated risk for depression but who were not currently depressed, from four European countries -the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain, took part in the study. Participants were randomized to either take nutritional supplements containing folic acid, vitamin D, zinc, selenium or to a pill placebo, and half of participants also received a behavioral lifestyle intervention intended to change dietary behaviors and patterns.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Daily intake of nutritional supplements over a year did not effectively prevent the onset of a major depressive episode. The nutritional supplements were not better than placebo. The therapeutic sessions aimed at making changes towards a healthy dietary behavior did also not convincingly prevent depression. However, in the group of participants who attended a recommended number of therapeutic sessions, there was some evidence that it prevented depressive episodes.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?
Response: Meta-analyses of observational studies suggest that eating a healthy diet, e.g. a Mediterranean style diet, is associated with less depressive symptoms. Although our study suggests that in the most compliant participants an effect on depression was observed, a carefully designed dietary intervention study (preferably with all meals provided) in persons at higher risk of developing depression is needed to confirm causality.
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Last Updated on March 8, 2019 by Marie Benz MD FAAD