Dietary inflammatory index and depression: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Psychiatry
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Dietary patterns significantly influence health outcomes, including mental well-being.
• Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a key factor in the pathophysiology of depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis evaluating the association between the inflammatory potential of diet, measured by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score, and depression.
• To synthesize evidence from observational studies on the DII-depression link.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
• Literature search across PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases up to August 2018.
• Inclusion of four prospective cohort and two cross-sectional studies totaling 49,584 participants.

Main Results:

• Individuals with the highest DII scores exhibited a 23% increased risk of depression (RR=1.23; 95% CI 1.12, 1.35).
• The association was stronger in prospective cohort studies (RR=1.25) compared to cross-sectional studies (RR=1.16).
• A significant association was observed in women (RR=1.25), but not in men (RR=1.15).

Conclusions:

• A pro-inflammatory diet, indicated by a higher DII score, is independently associated with an elevated risk of depression.
• The association between a pro-inflammatory diet and depression risk is particularly pronounced in women.
• Further research is warranted to explore the potential of anti-inflammatory diets in mitigating depression risk.