Abstract
Objective: Several previous studies showed that the Japanese dietary pattern helps prevent depressive symptoms. However, these studies have not been conducted with young adults. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore this relationship in a young adult population of college students.
Methods: In October 2015, students of one university in Hokkaido, all of whom were registered in a dietetics course, were enrolled in this study. Food consumption was assessed using a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. We defined the Japanese Dietary Score (JDS), which comprises 11 types of food scores which were weighted using the median value of food consumption. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 20-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. In this study, a score of 16 or greater was defined as indicating depressive symptoms. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used for conducting statistical comparisons of the association between the JDS and depressive symptoms.
Results: Of the female students we approached, 135 (95.5%) replied to the survey. Sixty-eight students were identified as having depressive symptoms (50.3%). The results of the logistic regression analysis showed significantly lower depressive symptoms in those who fell in the second and third tertiles of the JDS (odds ratios: 0.30 and 0.22, 95% confidence interval = 0.11~0.80 and 0.08~0.60, respectively), as compared to those in the first tertile of the JDS.
Conclusions: The Japanese dietary pattern may be related to a lower risk of depressive symptoms. Our results may be useful for the prevention of depression in young adults.
