J Nutr Health.  2023 Dec;56(6):702-713. 10.4163/jnh.2023.56.6.702.

Association between seafood intake and depression in Korean adults: analysis of data from the 2014–2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

• Shin H
• Jang W
• Kim Y

• KMID: 2550532
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4163/jnh.2023.56.6.702

Abstract

Purpose
Depression is a prevalent mental health concern globally including South Korea. Given the growing interest in the relationship between diet and mental health, this study aimed to investigate the association between seafood consumption and depression among Korean adults.
Methods
A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2014–2020). The study included 18,149 participants (7,541 men and 10,608 women) aged 19 years and older who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Seafood intake levels were assessed using a oneday 24-hour dietary recall, and participants were categorized into three tertiles by gender. Depression status was determined using the PHQ-9 scores and the self-report of the doctor’s diagnosis and treatment. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between seafood consumption and depression in both genders. Results: Participants with a higher seafood intake had a significantly lower nutritional density of total fat, while the nutritional density of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was significantly higher. The prevalence of depression was significantly lower in the highest tertile of seafood consumption compared to the lowest tertile in both men (p < 0.001) and women (p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the highest tertile of seafood consumption demonstrated a decreased risk of depression compared to the lowest tertile in men (odds ratio [OR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51–0.99; p-trend = 0.020) and women (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59–0.91; p-trend = 0.004).
Conclusion
The findings of this study suggest that consuming seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids may potentially reduce the risk of depression in the adult population.

Keyword

seafood; depression; nutrients; fatty acids