The DASH diet is making headlines this week for its newest and most unexpected benefit. The diet itself is high in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and recommends a moderate intake of nuts and beans, lean meats, fish and poultry and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. This helps to lower blood pressure and also helps individuals lose weight. And now, a new study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago has concluded that people who follow the DASH diet, short for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension”, have a significantly lower risk for developing depression than those who do not.
The study examined 964 participants for an average of six and a half years and assessed their responses to questions about their mental state and well being. Participants were assessed yearly for symptoms of depression, such as ‘being bothered by things that usually didn’t affect them’ and ‘feeling hopeless about the future’, and were asked to complete questionnaires on their diet to assess how closely they followed diets such as the DASH, Mediterranean or traditional Western diets.
The results found that participants who followed the DASH diet closely were less likely to develop negative thoughts and feelings compared to those who did not. The study’s lead author, Dr. Laurel Cherian, explained that those who followed a Western diet closely, which is high in saturated fats and red meats, and low in fruits and vegetables, were more likely to develop depression. “Making a lifestyle change such as changing your diet is often preferred over taking medications, so we wanted to see if diet could be an effective way to reduce the risk of depression,” said Cherian.
Although many more studies will need to be conducted to determine exactly how productive this diet is at reducing the risk for depression, Dr. Cherian confirmed that the diet was effective. “It is unclear how much of an impact this diet has on reducing the risk of depression,” Cherian said, “but I can say there is a definitely a connection.”
This means that something as simple as your diet can affect you in multiple ways. According to ABC News’ senior medical correspondent, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, something like depression isn’t just happening in the brain. “We can’t silo a condition or body part from the rest of our bodies and our behavioral practices. We should take a holistic view on conditions such as depression, mood, cognitive decline, stroke, cardiovascular disease and how food, nutrition and dietary habits affect the risk of disease.” It’s never too late in life to change eating or exercise habits and the medical effects of both can be wide ranging. “The more we can integrate that, the better,” Ashton said.
