Unsaturated fat intakes and mental health outcomes in young women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Heath.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if associations exist between a range of unsaturated fatty acid intakes and mental health outcomes.


METHODS
Cross-sectional data analysis of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) Young Cohort Survey 3 that included the validated seventy-four-item Dietary Questionnaire for Epidemiological Studies FFQ, validated mental health scales and self-report questions on depression and anxiety.


METHODS
Australia, 2003.


METHODS
A nationally representative sample of young Australian women (25-30 years) from ALSWH. The 7635 women with plausible energy intakes (>4·5 but <20·0 MJ/d) were included in the analyses.


RESULTS
Adjusted logistic regression analyses found statistically significant associations between higher intakes of α-linolenic acid and decreased likelihood of depressive symptoms indicated by the ten-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10; OR=0·77; 95% CI 0·60, 0·99; P=0·040) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) mental health subscale (OR=0·73 95% CI 0·56, 0·96; P=0·024). Furthermore, higher intakes of n-6 fatty acids (OR=0·96, 95% CI 0·93, 0·99; P=0·019) and linoleic acid (OR=0·96, 95% CI 0·93, 0·99; P=0·020) were associated with decreased likelihood of self-reported diagnosed anxiety and higher intakes of n-9 fatty acids (OR=1·02, 95% CI 1·00, 1·04; P=0·041) and oleic acid (OR=1·02, 95% CI 1·00, 1·05; P=0·046) were associated with increased likelihood of self-reported diagnosed anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased intakes of α-linolenic acid were associated with a reduced likelihood of depressive symptoms, increased intakes of n-6 fatty acids and linoleic acid were associated with a reduced likelihood of self-reported anxiety, and increased intakes of n-9 fatty acids and oleic acid were associated with an increased likelihood of anxiety. Additional studies are needed to further elucidate associations between unsaturated fatty acids and depression and anxiety.
1Nutrition and Dietetics,School of Health Sciences,University of Newcastle,Hunter Building,University Drive,Callaghan,NSW 2308,Australia.
Clare
C
Daley
1Nutrition and Dietetics,School of Health Sciences,University of Newcastle,Hunter Building,University Drive,Callaghan,NSW 2308,Australia.
Amanda
A
Patterson
2Faculty of Health,University of Technology,Sydney,Sydney,New South Wales,Australia.
David
D
Sibbritt
1Nutrition and Dietetics,School of Health Sciences,University of Newcastle,Hunter Building,University Drive,Callaghan,NSW 2308,Australia.
Lesley
L
MacDonald-Wicks
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008603:Mental Health; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012306:Risk; D057566:Self Report; D016387:Women's Health; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid
Anxiety; Depression; FFQ; Mental health; Unsaturated fatty acids; Women