Dietary folate, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 and depressive symptoms in early adolescence: the Ryukyus Child Health Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between dietary folate, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 and depressive symptoms in a group of adolescents.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study, conducted in all public junior high schools in Naha City and Nago City, Okinawa, Japan, included 3,067 boys and 3,450 girls aged 12 years to 15 years (52.3% of eligible sample). Dietary intake was assessed using a validated, self-administered diet history questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were defined as present when participants had a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score of ≥16.


RESULTS
The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 22.5% for boys and 31.2% for girls. Folate intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms in both boys (adjusted odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] in the highest (compared with the lowest) quintile, 0.60 [0.45, 0.79]; p for trend = .002) and girls (OR [95% CI], 0.61 [0.48, 0.77]; p for trend = <.001). Vitamin B-6 intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms in both boys (OR [95% CI], 0.73 [0.54, 0.98]; p for trend = .02) and girls (OR [95% CI], 0.72 [0.56, 0.92]; p for trend = .002). Riboflavin intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms in girls (OR [95% CI], 0.85 [0.67, 1.08]; p for trend = .03), but not in boys. No clear association was seen between vitamin B-12 intake and depressive symptoms in either sex.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that higher intake of dietary B vitamins, particularly folate and vitamin B-6, is independently associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms in early adolescence.
Murakami
Kentaro
K
Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. kenmrkm@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Miyake
Yoshihiro
Y
Sasaki
Satoshi
S
Tanaka
Keiko
K
Arakawa
Masashi
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D012256:Riboflavin