Although the benefit of high fruit and vegetable intake has previously been reported, few studies have focused on adults aged 45+, or specifically on

Link between low fruit and vegetable intake and depression shown in twin studies

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2024-12-09 23:30:03

Although the benefit of high fruit and vegetable intake has previously been reported, few studies have focused on adults aged 45+, or specifically on twins.

The study, led by UNSW Sydney’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), assessed the associations between fruit and vegetable intake and depressive symptoms over 11 years, in 3,483 twins from Australia, Denmark, Sweden and the USA.

Published in Scientific Reports, findings revealed that higher intakes of both fruit and vegetables were associated with lower symptoms of depression over time.

Lead author and Post Doctoral Fellow Dr Annabel Matison said “The findings present another argument for increasing fruit and vegetable intake in adults over 45 years of age.”

Depressive disorders significantly contribute to disease burden in adults over the age of 55, ranging from mild depression that doesn’t reach the threshold of clinical diagnosis but still affects quality of life, to severe major depressive disorder. Individuals with major depression exhibit higher levels of pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers and diminished levels of antioxidant markers, when compared to healthy individuals.

Co-author on the research and Leader of CHeBA’s Genomics and Epigenomics Group, Dr Karen Mather, says that twin studies provide a unique opportunity to address some of the limitations of previous observational studies.