Vegetarian diets and depressive symptoms among men.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational analysis within a prospective cohort
PubMed 28777971 · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.051
What was done
Researchers analyzed self-reported survey data from 9668 male partners of pregnant women participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Self-identification as vegetarian or vegan, dietary frequency data, and depressive symptoms using the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale (EPDS) were evaluated. Associations were assessed using multiple linear and logistic regression adjusting for age, marital status, employment, housing tenure, number of children, religion, family history of depression, previous childhood psychiatric contact, and alcohol and cigarette consumption.
What was found
Vegetarians comprised 3.6% of the sample (n = 350). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, vegetarian men had higher mean depression scores than non-vegetarians (mean difference 0.96 points, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.40). They also had a greater risk for EPDS scores above 10 (adjusted OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.44).
Why it matters
This study shows an observational link between vegetarian dietary habits and increased depressive symptoms in adult men, pointing to the need to investigate potential nutritional mechanisms or behavioral drivers.
Limits
The study is cross-sectional, meaning reverse causation cannot be ruled out. The sample was restricted to expectant fathers in a specific UK region, which may limit generalizability. Depressive symptoms and dietary intake were assessed via self-report rather than clinical psychiatric interview or biological nutrient biomarker testing.
Cited by
- partial A study by Joseph Hibbeln at the NIH found that vegetarians experience a high incidence of depression due in part to low omega-3 fatty acids.