Association of fish and long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes with the occurrence of depressive episodes in middle-aged French men and women.

Unité Nutrition et Régulation Lipidique des Fonctions Cérébrales (NuRéLiCe), UR 909, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Centre de Recherche de Jouy, Jouy-en-Josas, France. pierre.astorg@jouy.inra.fr

This study aimed to seek whether habitual fish and seafood or n-3 long-chain PUFA intake could influence the occurrence of depressive episodes. In a subsample from the French SU.VI.MAX cohort, dietary habits have been assessed during the first 2 years of the follow-up (six 24-h records) and declarations of antidepressant prescription, taken as markers of depressive episodes, have been recorded during the 8-year follow-up. Subjects consuming fatty fish or with an intake of long-chain n-3 PUFA higher than 0.10% of energy intake had a significantly lesser risk of any depressive episode and of recurrent depressive episodes, but not of single depressive episode. These associations were stronger in men and in non-smokers. In contrast, smokers eating fatty fish had an increased risk of recurrent depression. These results suggest that a usual intake of fatty fish or long-chain n-3 PUFA may decrease the risk of recurrent depression in non-smokers.

PMID: 18329261 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]