High ultra-processed food consumption is associated with elevated psychological distress as an indicator of depression in adults from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study

Melissa M Lane; Mojtaba Lotfaliany; Allison M Hodge; Adrienne O'Neil; Nikolaj Travica; Felice N Jacka; Tetyana Rocks; Priscila Machado; Malcolm Forbes; Deborah N Ashtree; Wolfgang Marx

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.124

High ultra-processed food consumption is associated with elevated psychological distress as an indicator of depression in adults from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study

J Affect Disord. 2023 Aug 15:335:57-66. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.124. Epub 2023 May 4.

Affiliations

¹ Deakin University, IMPACT (the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation), Food & Mood Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia. Electronic address: m.lane@deakin.edu.au.
² Deakin University, IMPACT (the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation), Food & Mood Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia.
³ Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, 615 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁴ Deakin University, IMPACT (the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation), Food & Mood Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, VIC, Australia; Black Dog Institute, NSW, Australia; James Cook University, QLD, Australia.
⁵ Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 715, Sao Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.
⁶ Deakin University, IMPACT (the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation), Food & Mood Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia; Mental Health, Drugs & Alcohol Service, University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health, VIC 3220, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia.

PMID: 37149054
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.124

Abstract

Background: Few studies have tested longitudinal associations between ultra-processed food consumption and depressive outcomes. As such, further investigation and replication are necessary. The aim of this study is to examine associations of ultra-processed food intake with elevated psychological distress as an indicator of depression after 15 years.

Method: Data from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (MCCS) were analysed (n = 23,299). We applied the NOVA food classification system to a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to determine ultra-processed food intake at baseline. We categorised energy-adjusted ultra-processed food consumption into quartiles by using the distribution of the dataset. Psychological distress was measured by the ten-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). We fitted unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models to assess the association of ultra-processed food consumption (exposure) with elevated psychological distress (outcome and defined as K10 ≥ 20). We fitted additional logistic regression models to determine whether these associations were modified by sex, age and body mass index.

Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle and health-related behaviours, participants with the highest relative intake of ultra-processed food were at increased odds of elevated psychological distress compared to participants with the lowest intake (aOR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.10, 1.38, p for trend = 0.001). We found no evidence for an interaction of sex, age and body mass index with ultra-processed food intake.

Conclusion: Higher ultra-processed food intake at baseline was associated with subsequent elevated psychological distress as an indicator of depression at follow-up. Further prospective and intervention studies are necessary to identify possible underlying pathways, specify the precise attributes of ultra-processed food that confer harm, and optimise nutrition-related and public health strategies for common mental disorders.

Keywords: Diet; Major depressive disorder; NOVA; Nutritional psychiatry; Psychological distress; Ultra-processed food.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Cohort Studies
Depression / epidemiology
Diet*
Energy Intake*
Fast Foods
Food, Processed
Humans