NUT CONSUMPTION IS ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG CHINESE ADULTS.
BACKGROUND
Affective disorders, especially depressive symptoms, bring such a burden to mortality and morbidity that they are associated with physical and psychological health and quality of life. Nuts, a foodstuff rich in multiple micronutrients, macronutrients, and other useful components, were considered to be a protector against depressive symptoms. Here, we conducted an analysis to examine the relationship between nut consumption and depressive symptoms.


METHODS
The study performed a cross-sectional study to examine whether nut consumption is related to depressive symptoms among 13,626 inhabitants in Tianjin. Nut consumption was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and depressive symptoms was assessed using the Chinese version of 20-item Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) with four cutoffs (40, 45, 48, and 50) to indicate elevated depressive symptoms.


RESULTS
The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 38.7, 19.1, 11.4, and 7.3% for SDS ≥40, 45, 48, and 50, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounding factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of having elevated depressive symptoms with SDS ≥40 by increasing frequency of nut consumption were 1.00 for <once per week (reference), 0.82 (0.75, 0.90) for 1-3 times per week, and 0.82 (0.73, 0.92) for ≥4 times per week. Similar relations were observed with the use of other cutoffs as a definition of depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study is the first to find that nut consumption is independently associated with depressive symptoms. It is suggested that nut consumption may be beneficial to the prevention of depressive symptoms.
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Qian
Q
Su
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|Institute of Psychology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Bin
B
Yu
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|Tianjin Binhai New Area Dagang Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Haiyan
H
He
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Qing
Q
Zhang
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Ge
G
Meng
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Hongmei
H
Wu
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Huanmin
H
Du
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Li
L
Liu
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Hongbin
H
Shi
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Yang
Y
Xia
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Xiaoyan
X
Guo
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Xing
X
Liu
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Chunlei
C
Li
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Xue
X
Bao
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Yeqing
Y
Gu
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Liyun
L
Fang
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Fei
F
Yu
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
Huijun
H
Yang
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Shaomei
S
Sun
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Xing
X
Wang
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Ming
M
Zhou
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Qiyu
Q
Jia
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Honglin
H
Zhao
Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Kun
K
Song
Nutritional Epidemiology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.|Health Management Centre, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Kaijun
K
Niu
cross-sectional studies; depressive symptoms; nuts