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Cited by 51Fatty Acid Research and HealthNutritional Studies and DietTryptophan and brain disorders

Inflammation mediates the association between fatty acid intake and depression in older men and women

Lai, Jun S., Oldmeadow, Christopher, Hure, Alexis J., McEvoy, Mark, Hiles, Sarah A., Boyle, Michael, Attia, John·2016·Nutrition Research
DOI 10.1016/j.nutres.2015.11.017
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Abstract

Antioxidants and fatty acids are associated with depression and inflammation, and inflammation appears to predict depression risk; hence, the associations between these nutrients and depression may be mediated by inflammation. We hypothesized that inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) mediate the associations between antioxidant and fatty acid intakes, and depression. Participants were from the Hunter Community Study, a longitudinal cohort of adults aged 55-85 years. Dietary intake was assessed using the Older Australian's Food Frequency Questionnaire. Fasting blood samples were drawn for analysis of nutrient and inflammatory biomarkers. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale at baseline and at 5-year follow-up. Linear mixed models were used to investigate longitudinal associations between dietary intakes and depression, and mediation analyses were carried out to determine if IL-6 and/or CRP were the mediators. Analyses were conducted on men and women separately and adjusted for potential confounders. Fruit and monounsaturated fat intakes were negatively associated with depression, whereas total fat and saturated fat intakes were positively associated with depression in both sexes. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fat was inversely associated with depression in men only. IL-6 was a significant mediator of the association between fruits with low carotenoid content and depression in women. CRP significantly mediated the relationship between total fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fat intakes and depression in women, and saturated fat intake and depression in men. Our findings raise the possibility that the association between fatty acid intake and depression is partially mediated by inflammatory markers.

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  • Consumption of saturated fats and plasma concentrations of palmitate positively correlate with depressive symptoms and plasma C-reactive protein in humans.

    “Consumption of saturated fats [26] and plasma concentrations of the saturated fatty acid palmitate [27] positively correlate with depressive symptoms and plasma levels of the acute phase reactant C-reactive protein (CRP) in humans.”

    From The menace of obesity to depression and anxiety prevalence (2022) · cites this paper as [26]

  • Dietary-derived saturated fatty acids and erythrocyte content of saturated fatty acids positively correlate with circulating measures of CRP and can contribute to inflammation by favoring TLR4 signaling in macrophages.

    “Dietary-derived saturated fatty acids [26] and erythrocyte content of saturated fatty acids (indicator of long-term consumption) [27], positively correlate with circulating measures of CRP and can contribute to inflammation by favoring TLR4 signaling in macrophages [67].”

    From The menace of obesity to depression and anxiety prevalence (2022) · cites this paper as [26]

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Authors
Lai, J. S., Oldmeadow, C., Hure, A. J., McEvoy, M., Hiles, S. A., Boyle, M., & Attia, J.
Affiliations
  • University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
  • Hunter Medical Research Institute (AU)
  • Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
  • John Hunter Hospital (AU)
Corresponding author
McEvoy, Mark
ORCID
Venue
Nutrition Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-03
Volume
36
Issue
3
Pages
234-245
ISSN
0271-5317 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.nutres.2015.11.017
OpenAlex
W2185734644
Cited by
51
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
FWCI
1.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Nutrition Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
  • NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Newcastle’s Strategic Initiative Fund
  • Gladys M Brawn Senior Research Fellowship
  • Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation
  • John Hunter Charitable Trust Fund
  • Xtrata
  • beyondblue
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
Keywords
depression, dietary fatty acids, inflammation, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, saturated fat, monounsaturated fatty acids, fruit consumption, carotenoids, antioxidants, older adults, mediation analysis
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Antioxidants, C-Reactive Protein, Carotenoids, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Diet, Fatty Acids, Female, Fruit, Humans, Inflammation, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Vegetables, Vitamin E, Biomarkers, Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Nutrition Assessment, Interleukin-6, Linear Models

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