Fish consumption and risk of depression: Epidemiological evidence from prospective studies
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The evidence on the association of fish or omega-3 fatty acid intake with depression is inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to examine this association.
METHODS: Database searches in PubMed and Web of Science were conducted to identify relevant articles published up to April 2018, which were supplemented by hand-searches of reference lists of the retrieved articles. Using a random-effects model, we calculated pooled relative risks (RR) of depression in relation to consumption of fish or omega-3 fatty acids after adjusting for potential confounders.
RESULTS: A total of 10 prospective cohort studies with 6672 cases of depression among 109 764 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled adjusted RR of depression for the highest vs lowest category of fish consumption was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80-0.99). The pooled adjusted RR of depression for the highest vs lowest category of omega-3 intake was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.74-1.04). In the dose-response analysis, the pooled adjusted RRs for an increment of 1 serving/week of fish consumption and 500 mg/day of omega-3 fatty acid intake were 0.89 (95% CI: 0.75-1.04) and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.94-1.04), respectively. There was no evidence of heterogeneity.
DISCUSSION: Our findings provide quantitative evidence for a modest inverse association between fish or omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of depression, especially in women. These findings from the observational…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 109 participants or records.
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