Role of Diet in the Treatment of Depression and Evaluation of Its Clinical Effects

Abstract

Depression affects approximately 330 million people worldwide and is a major psychiatric disorder with frequent relapse and chronicity. Although dietary interventions have attracted attention as a potential therapeutic approach, few studies have comprehensively evaluated structured nutritional int erventions during psychiatric hospitalization. This study examined the effects of a nutritionally enh anced diet (“Daisy Diet”) and nutritional education on psychiatric symptoms, nutritional biomarker s, and gut microbiota. Patients in a stress care ward received nutritionally enhanced meals, meal-b ased educational cards, and individualized nutritional counseling. A single-group pre–post comparis on was conducted in 71 patients eligible for analysis. QIDS-J and GAD-7 scores improved signifi cantly, while serum zinc and folate levels were negatively correlated with psychological scale scor es. An increasing trend in Bifidobacterium and improved microbial diversity were also observed. T hese findings suggest that this intervention may favorably influence psychiatric symptoms, nutrition al status, and the gut environment.