Mediterranean diet 'can fight depression'

Published on Monday 5 October 2009 21:13

A MEDITERRANEAN diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish can fight depression, research suggests.

The study adds to a growing body of evidence linking diet and mental health.

Similar eating habits are already known to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Previous research has highlighted an association between monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil – much used in Mediterranean cooking – and lower rates of severe depressive symptoms.

In the latest study, Spanish scientists monitored the diets and depression levels of more than 10,000 healthy volunteers

over a six-year period. The information was used to calculate adherence to a Mediterranean diet.

Individuals who followed the Mediterranean diet most closely were more than 30 per cent less likely to suffer depression than those with the lowest Mediterranean diet scores.