title: Association between depression and fruit and vegetable consumption among adults in South Asia.
abstract: In recent years there has been a growing research interest regarding the impact of dietary behaviour on mental health outcomes. The present study aimed to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and depression in three south Asian countries- Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional data were obtained from World Health Survey of WHO conducted during 2002-04. In total 14,133 adult subjects (Bangladesh 3262, India 7594, Nepal 3277) aged 18 years and above were included in the study. Outcome variables were Self-Reported Depression (SRD) during last 30 days and 12 months. Multivariable regression methods were used to explore the association between F&V consumption and depression.
  
  
  
  Prevalence of Self-Reported Depression during past 12 months were respectively 39%, 17.7%, and 49.9% for Bangladesh, India and Nepal. In India, those who consumed less than five servings of vegetables were respectively 41% [AOR = 1.41; 95%CI = 0.60-3.33] and 57% [AOR = 1.57; 95%CI = 0.93-2.64] more likely to report severe-extreme and mild-moderate depression during past 30 days compared to those who consumed five servings a day. Regarding fruit consumption, compared to those who consumed five servings a day, the odds of severe-extreme and mild-moderate SRD were respectively 3.5 times [AOR = 3.48; 95%CI = 1.216-10.01] and 45% [AOR = 1.44; 95%CI = 0.89-2.32] higher in Bangladesh, and 2.9 times [AOR = 2.92; 95%CI = 1.12-7.64] and 42% higher [AOR = 1.41; 95%CI = 0.89-2.24] in Nepal compared to those who consumed less than five servings a day during last 30 days.
  
  
  
  Daily intake of less than five servings of F&V was associated with higher odds of depression. Nutrition programs aimed at promoting F&V consumption might prove beneficial to reduce the prevalence of depression in south Asian population. Further studies are required to understand the factors limiting the adequate consumption of F&V.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh. brammaputram@gmail.com.|School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. brammaputram@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ghose
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bishwajit
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel Peter
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Sharmistha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Yaya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sanni
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Tang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shangfeng
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhanchun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; Fruit and vegetable consumption; Self-reported depression; South Asia; World health survey