(October 5, 2009 - Insidermedicine)

Closely following a Mediterranean-style diet may reduce the risk of developing depression, according to a study published in the latest issue of the Archives of Psychiatry.

Symptoms of depression include:

•    Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or hopelessness

•    Sleeping or eating more or less than usual

•    Loss of interest in activities that used to bring pleasure

Researchers out of University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Clinic of the University of Navarra in Pamplona followed over 10,000 Spanish adults who completed a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire. Based on their answers, the researchers calculated the degree to which their diets matched a Mediterranean-style diet, which is high in monounsaturated fats but low in saturated fats; moderate in intake of alcohol and dairy products; low in intake of meat; and high in legumes, fruit and nuts, cereals, vegetables and fish.

After following the participants for an average of about four-and-a-half years, 480 of the participants developed depression. Those who most closely followed the Mediterranean diet were more than 30% less likely to develop depression than those whose food intake least closely followed a Mediterranean diet. This association remained even after taking into account other signs of a healthy lifestyle, such as marital status and use of seatbelts.

Today's research suggests that closely following a Mediterranean-style diet may help protect against depression.