The interrelationship between diet, physical health, and depression

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is a common mental health condition affecting around 280 million people worldwide. Every year approximately 700,000 deaths occur due to depression-driven suicide. Hence, it is imperative to formulate effective interventions and prevention measures to manage depression.

Background

Severe depression is managed via antidepressant medications (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants). However, this line of treatment is not recommended for treating mild depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy are two of the alternative treatments used to prevent the development of depression. In addition, practicing a healthy lifestyle that includes healthy food habits and a substantial increase in physical activity also alleviates depression and other health-related problems, such as obesity and diabetes.                                    

Notably, healthy diets help in depression management because diet regulates various mechanisms, such as inflammation, epigenetics, oxidative stress, tryptophan–kynurenine metabolism, and neurogenesis, that influence brain functions and mental health. 

Recently, more research has been conducted to understand the impact of gut health on mental conditions. Many preclinical and clinical studies have…