title: Japanese dietary pattern consistently relates to low depressive symptoms and it is modified by job strain and worksite supports.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the association between traditional Japanese dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in Japanese workers, employing large-scale samples, considering socioeconomic status (SES) and job stress factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 2266 Japanese employees aged 21-65 years from all areas of Japan was conducted as part of the Japanese Study of Health, Occupation and Psychosocial factors related Equity (J-HOPE). Habitual diet was assessed by FFQ (BDHQ). The depression degree and job stress factors (job demand, job control, and worksite support) were measured by K6 and Job Content Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with high scores for the balanced Japanese dietary pattern were significantly less likely to show probable mood/anxiety disorders (K6≥9) with multivariate adjustment including SES and job stress factors (odds ratio=0.66 [0.51-0.86], trend P=0.002). Other dietary patterns were not associated with depressive symptoms. Even after stratification by job stress factors, the Japanese dietary pattern was consistently protective against depressive symptoms. Furthermore, a highly significant difference between the first and third tertiles of the dietary pattern was observed in participants with active strain (high demand and high control) with low worksite supports (8.5 vs. 5.2, P=0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female participant sample was relatively small.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Japanese dietary pattern consistently related to low depressive symptoms in this large-scale cohort of Japanese workers, even after adjusting for SES and job stress factors. The protective impact is especially strong for workers with active strain and low support. Making better use of traditional dietary patterns may facilitate reducing social disparities in mental health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research and Informatics, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyaki
authors.forename: Akizumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Norito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimazu
authors.forename: Akiomi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Sumiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurioka
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kakehashi
authors.forename: Yasuharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Takuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimbo
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D004032:Diet; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012923:Social Class; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; Dietary pattern; J-HOPE; Japanese diet; Job stress; Occupational cohort