Investigating the relationship between MIND diet and postpartum depressive symptoms

Postpartum depressive symptoms (PPD) create negative and destructive changes in the mother's mood and disrupts the family atmosphere and raising the child in a healthy relationship with the mother. However, to date, no study has been found that investigated the relationship between the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet (Mind diet) and PPD in women. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the association between MIND diet and PPD.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 214 women (2-8 weeks after childbirth) who were referred to comprehensive health service centers. Data were collected using Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS), Beck, and semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires including 148 food items (FFQ). After collecting the data and scoring them, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and regression logistic analyses were done to determine the relationship between postpartum depressive symptoms and mind diet.

According to the results, the prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms was 15.4%. In the adjusted model, the mean and standard deviation of postpartum depressive symptoms scores in the third tertile were significantly lower than the first one (P < 0.001). Moreover, the adjusted model of logistic regression analysis showed that the chance of postpartum depressive symptoms was significantly lower in those who had the more following MIND diet compared to those who had less following (OR: 0.04, 95% CI: 0.006-0.37; P < 0.001).

In conclusion, following the MIND diet was inversely associated with the likelihood of postpartum depressive symptoms.