Evidence Hub

Association of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids intake with depressive symptoms in midlife women

Li D, Liang H, Tong Y, Li Y

Journal of affective disorders, 2020

3,054 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To study the association of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) intake from diet with depressive symptoms in midlife women.

METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study were retrieved from baseline assessment of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models were performed to examine the association n-3 PUFA intake with depressive symptoms.

RESULTS: A total of 3054 women aged 42-52 years were included in the present study. In overall midlife women, n-3 PUFA intake was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥16) after adjustment for potential confounders. In early perimenopausal women, n-3 PUFA intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms after adjustment for potential confounders. The fully adjusted OR with 95% CI of depressive symptoms were 0.062 (0.009-0.457) in the highest quartile (n-3 PUFAs intake was categorized by quartiles) compared with the lowest quartile for n-3 PUFA intake. Restricted cubic spline analyses showed that n-3 PUFA intake were dose-response inversely associated with depressive symptoms in early perimenopausal women. However, in premenopausal women, no significant association between depressive symptoms and n-3 PUFA intake was observed.

LIMITATIONS: This was a cross-sectional study, limiting causal inferences.

CONCLUSION: Dietary n-3 PUFA may be inversely associated with depressive symptoms in early perimenopausal women, but not in…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 3,054 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free