Background: As the most abundant fatty acid in plasma, oleic acid has been found to be associated with multiple neurological diseases; however, results from studies of the relationship between oleic acid and depression are inconsistent.
Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 4,459 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014. The following covariates were adjusted in multivariable logistic regression models: age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, body mass index, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol status, metabolic syndrome, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and total cholesterol.
Results: Serum oleic acid levels were positively associated with depression. After adjusting for all covariates, for every 1 mmol/L increase in oleic acid levels, the prevalence of depression increased by 40% (unadjusted OR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.16-1.57; adjusted OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03-1.90).
Conclusions: Our study suggests that oleic acid may play a role in depression. Further research is needed to investigate the potential benefits of changing oleic acid levels for the treatment and prevention of depression.
Keywords: Cross-sectional study; Depression; Fatty acid; Oleic acid.
© 2023. The Author(s).