The association of major dietary patterns with depression, anxiety, and stress in apparently healthy adults

Background: Mental disorders are prevalent worldwide and may expose people to many injuries. Diet plays an important role in the development or progression of mental illnesses. Therefore, we investigated the possible association between major dietary patterns and depression, anxiety, and stress in adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a random sample of participants (n = 265) in Tehran. Anthropometric measures and physical activity were recorded. Dietary patterns were determined using factor analysis on 25 food groups using a validated 147-item semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Blood samples were taken for measurement of blood parameters. Data on depression, anxiety, and stress were collected using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21). Results: Two dietary patterns, namely the unhealthy and healthy dietary pattern, were identified. Higher adherence to the healthy dietary pattern was associated with a significant reduction in the mean depression score (p = 0.03). There was no statistically significant association between the unhealthy dietary pattern and the scores on depression, anxiety, and stress. In logistic regression models, after adjusting for potential confounders, higher adherence to the healthy dietary pattern was related to a reduction in anxiety odds ratio (p = 0.03). There was no statistically significant association between the major dietary patterns and the risk of depression and stress in crude and adjusted models. Conclusion: Adherence to a healthy dietary pattern is associated with a reduced odds of depression and anxiety.