Nutrient patterns associated with depression: evidence from the CUME+ study

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between nutrient patterns and depression among participants of the Cohort of Universities of Minas Gerais Plus via an online questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics, health-related data, dietary intake, and a self-reported diagnosis of depression were analysed. Three nutrient patterns were identified using principal component analysis, with a cumulative variance of 43.7%. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed. Among the 7.617 participants, 13.2% reported a diagnosis of depression. An animal-origin pattern was positively associated with depression among individuals classified as having normal weight (OR = 1.40; CI: 1.01-1.94). However, an anti-inflammatory pattern had a protective effect in the entire sample (OR = 0.754; CI: 0.599-0.948) as well as specific subgroups. These findings underscore the importance of promoting a healthy, adequate diet as a strategy for the prevention and management of depression among individuals with characteristics similar to those of the study population.