We aimed to investigate the association between dietary patterns and depressive symptoms among 217 Iranian women aged 20-45 years. In this study, dietary intake was assessed using a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. A principal component analysis was applied to detect the major dietary patterns. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess the depressive symptoms. Two major dietary patterns were identified: the "semi-Mediterranean" dietary pattern and the "western" dietary pattern. Participants with the "western" dietary pattern had a higher rate of depressive symptoms (p < 0.05). However, the "semi-Mediterranean" dietary pattern had no significant association with the depressive symptoms.
Keywords: depressive symptoms; factor analysis; western diet.