Cost effectiveness and cost-utility analysis of a group-based diet intervention for treating major depression—the HELFIMED trial
Open accessAbstract
Background/objectives: Major depression has a negative impact on quality of life, increasing the risk of premature death. It imposes social and economic costs on individuals, families and society. Mental illness is now the leading cause globally of disability/lost quality life and premature mortality. Finding cost-effective treatments for depression is a public health priority. We report an economic evaluation of a dietary intervention for treating major depression.Methods: This economic evaluation drew on the HELFIMED RCT, a 3-month group-based Mediterranean-style diet (MedDiet) intervention (including cooking workshops), against a social group-program for people with major depression. We conducted (i) a cost-utility analysis, utility scores measured at baseline, 3-months and 6-months using the AQoL8D, modelled to 2 years (base case); (ii) a cost-effectiveness analysis, differential cost/case of depression resolved (to normal/mild) measured by the DASS. Differential program costs were calculated from resources use costed in AUD2017. QALYs were discounted at 3.5%pa.Results: Best estimate differential cost/QALY gain per person, MedDiet relative to social group was AUD2775. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis, varying costs, utility gain, model period found 95% likelihood cost/QALY less than AUD20,000. Estimated cost per additional case of depression resolved, MedDiet group relative to social group was AUD2,225.Conclusions: A MedDiet group-program for treating major depression was highly cost-effective relative to a social group-program, measured in terms of cost/QALY gain and cost per case of major depression resolved. Supporting access by persons with major depression to group-based dietary programs should be a policy priority. A change to funding will be needed to realise the potential benefits.
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Adopting dietary improvement as a treatment strategy for mental health is cost-effective.
“An added benefit of adopting dietary improvement as a treatment strategy for mental health is its cost-effectiveness, given the compelling economic evaluations of 2 landmark trials investigating the efficacy of a Mediterranean-style dietary intervention on reducing depression symptoms (522, 523).”
From Diet and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health (2021) · cites this paper as [523]
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Diet and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health
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- Authors
- Segal, L., Twizeyemariya, A., Zarnowiecki, D., Niyonsenga, T., Bogomolova, S., Wilson, A., O’Dea, K., & Parletta, N.
- Affiliations
- University of South Australia (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Segal, Leonie
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nutritional Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2018-12-20
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 770-778
- ISSN
- 1028-415X (ISSN-L)
- 1476-8305
- OpenAlex
- W2905741234
- Cited by
- 37
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 3.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Nutritional Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UniSA Research Outputs Repository (University of South Australia) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- National Health and Medical Research Council (631947)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Keywords
- major depressive disorder, Mediterranean diet, dietary intervention, group intervention, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility analysis, quality-adjusted life years, cooking workshops, depression treatment
- MeSH terms
- Cost-Benefit Analysis, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Diet Therapy, Humans, Quality of Life, Treatment Outcome, Diet, Mediterranean
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