Rym Ben Othman, Olfa Mziou, Amel Gamoudi, Amal Smida, Cyrin Souissi, Insaf Loukil, Feten Mahjoub, Olfa Berriche and Henda Jamoussi
Depression is a multifactorial disease and nutrition is an important environmental factor in its development and progression.
Methods: This is a retrospective study of 50 depressed patients recruited from the outpatient department of psychiatry in Tunisia, as well as 50 controls. Both groups were matched for age and sex
Results: A pathological waist circumference was found in 84% of cases against 78% of controls p=0.02. Our patients had a significantly higher intake of carbohydrates and sucrose compared to controls p=0.0001, p=0.02, and significantly lower protein intake (p=0.0001), lipids (p=0.0001), SFA (p=0.01), MUFA (p=0.003), EPA (p=0.02), fibers (p=0.05 ), iron (p=0.0001), zinc (p=0.02), vitamin B9 (p=0.0001), vitamin B1 (p=0.02) vitamin C (p=0.02), calcium (P=0.004). In addition, controls consumed significantly more blue fish, hard cheeses and Olive oil than the patients respectively. Plus the depression was severe, according to the PHQ9 score, plus the intakes were significantly lower in: proteins, carbohydrates, alpha linoleic acid Calcium, consumption of butter and cheese spread, and when depression was certain, according to the HAD, intakes of protein, w3, alpha linoleic acid, corn oil and soybean were low.
Conclusions: Our study revealed a very frequent deficit in micro and macronutrients in depressed patients. Some of these deficits, in particular Omega 3, were significantly associated with the severity of depression.