Relationship between food group-specific intake and depression among local government employees in Japan

Abstract

Abstract Background We aimed to examine the relationship between food group-specific intake and depression among workers in Japan. Methods A questionnaire survey was administered to 568 workers in 2020; 503 workers responded and 423 were included in the study. Information on sex, age, body mass index, overtime hours, sleep duration, marital status, employment position, exercise habits, smoking status, incidence of depression, and intake of energy, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, alcohol, and specific food groups were collected. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to assess the presence and severity of depression. Food group-specific intake was adjusted for energy intake using the residual method and classified into low, moderate, and high by sex. Logistic regression was used to examine the odds ratios (ORs) and trends according to sex, with the presence/absence of depression as the dependent variable and food group-specific intake as the independent variable. Results Men in the eggs low-intake, and women in the other vegetables low- and moderate-intake and eggs moderate-intake groups had significantly higher adjusted ORs (aORs) for depression. Additionally, a dose-response relationship was observed, where the OR for depression was significantly higher in men when the intake of eggs was low (p for trend = 0.024) and in women when the intakes of other vegetables (p for trend = 0.011) and eggs (p for trend = 0.032) were low. Conclusions The intake of eggs in men and eggs and vegetables in women may be related to depression.