Evidence map of nutrient interventions for major depression: a systematic review protocol

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Psychiatry
• Evidence Synthesis
• Public Health

Background:

• Depression is a global health issue with suboptimal response to traditional treatments.
• Nutritional interventions offer a safe, cost-effective adjunctive therapy for depression.
• Existing evidence on nutritional interventions for depression is fragmented and lacks systematic evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the evidence for various nutritional interventions in treating depression.
• To create an evidence gap map (EGM) to visualize research distribution and identify knowledge gaps.
• To inform the development of individualized nutritional strategies for depression management.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review utilizing the evidence gap map (EGM) approach.
• Comprehensive literature search across major medical databases.
• Rigorous quality assessment of included studies using Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.0, ROBINS-I, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
• Evidence grading using the GRADE system and EGM generation via EPPI-Reviewer Web.

Main Results:

• Identification of nutrient categories with strong evidence for antidepressant effects.
• Analysis of evidence distribution across different nutritional interventions and depression subtypes.
• Exploration of the impact of population characteristics on intervention efficacy.

Conclusions:

• This study will provide methodological insights for nutritional psychiatry research.
• Expected to identify effective nutritional strategies for depression.
• Findings will support evidence-based clinical guidelines and public health policies for depression treatment.