. 2021 Oct;60(7):3743-3755.

doi: 10.1007/s00394-021-02532-0. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Association of habitual intake of fruits and vegetables with depressive symptoms: the AusDiab study

Simone Radavelli-Bagatini^#¹, Reindolf Anokye^#², Nicola P Bondonno^{2

3}, Marc Sim^{2

3}, Catherine P Bondonno^{2

3}, Mandy J Stanley⁴, Craig Harms⁵, Richard Woodman⁶, Dianna J Magliano^{7

8}, Jonathan E Shaw^{9

8}, Robin M Daly¹⁰, Jonathan M Hodgson^{2

3}, Joshua R Lewis^#^{2

3

11}, Lauren C Blekkenhorst^#^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Nutrition Research, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia. s.radavellibagatini@ecu.edu.au.
² Institute for Nutrition Research, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia.
³ Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁴ School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁵ School of Arts and Humanities, Psychology and Criminology, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁶ Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁷ Diabetes and Population Health, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁸ School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁹ Clinical Diabetes and Epidemiology, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
¹⁰ Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
¹¹ Centre for Kidney Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead, School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 33778912
DOI: 10.1007/s00394-021-02532-0

Association of habitual intake of fruits and vegetables with depressive symptoms: the AusDiab study

Simone Radavelli-Bagatini et al. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Oct.

. 2021 Oct;60(7):3743-3755.

doi: 10.1007/s00394-021-02532-0. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Nutrition Research, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia. s.radavellibagatini@ecu.edu.au.
² Institute for Nutrition Research, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia.
³ Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁴ School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁵ School of Arts and Humanities, Psychology and Criminology, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁶ Flinders Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁷ Diabetes and Population Health, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁸ School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁹ Clinical Diabetes and Epidemiology, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
¹⁰ Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
¹¹ Centre for Kidney Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead, School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 33778912
DOI: 10.1007/s00394-021-02532-0

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the relationship of habitual FV intake, different types of FV, and vegetable diversity with depressive symptoms.

Methods: Australian men and women (n = 4105) aged > 25 years from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study were included. Dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire at baseline, 5 and 12 years. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the validated 10-item Centre for Epidemiology Studies Short Depression Scale at 12 years. Multiple logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between the exposures of interest and depressive symptoms using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) across quartiles of FV intake and vegetable diversity. Analyses were multivariable-adjusted for confounding factors.

Results: At 12 years, 425 (10.4%) participants had "any depressive symptoms". Habitual FV intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms at 12 years. After adjustment, participants in quartile 2 of FV intake (Q2; median 317 g/day) had a 20% lower odds of having any depressive symptoms (OR [95% CI] 0.80 [0.69, 0.95]) in comparison to those in the lowest quartile of FV intake (Q1; median 223 g/day). Yellow/orange/red and leafy green vegetables were the key vegetable types driving this association. Higher vegetable diversity (4-6 different vegetables/day) was associated with a 24-42% lower odds of having depressive symptoms when compared to < 3 different vegetables/day. The associations remained similar after further adjusting for diet quality.

Conclusion: A FV-rich diet, consisting of a diverse range of vegetables, particularly yellow/orange/red and leafy green vegetables may help to lower depressive symptoms. Promoting such a diet, particularly in men and women with a low FV intake, may have a significant public health impact.

Keywords: AusDiab; Australian adults; Depressive symptoms; Fruit and vegetable intake; Vegetable diversity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Cited by

The association between Mediterranean diet, fruit and vegetable consumption, mental well-being, and quality of life in Dutch adults: a longitudinal study.
van der Wurff I, Golsteijn R, Stamhuis I, Oenema A, Lechner L. van der Wurff I, et al. Eur J Nutr. 2025 Jul 21;64(5):243. doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03760-4. Eur J Nutr. 2025. PMID: 40689994 Free PMC article.
Association Between Dietary Quality and Postpartum Depression in Lactating Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Urban China.
Yang C, Zhao A, Lan H, Ren Z, Zhang J, Szeto IM, Wang P, Zhang Y. Yang C, et al. Front Nutr. 2021 Aug 26;8:705353. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.705353. eCollection 2021. Front Nutr. 2021. PMID: 34513900 Free PMC article.
Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Neuroprotective Effects of Polyphenols-Polyphenols as an Element of Diet Therapy in Depressive Disorders.
Winiarska-Mieczan A, Kwiecień M, Jachimowicz-Rogowska K, Donaldson J, Tomaszewska E, Baranowska-Wójcik E. Winiarska-Mieczan A, et al. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jan 23;24(3):2258. doi: 10.3390/ijms24032258. Int J Mol Sci. 2023. PMID: 36768580 Free PMC article. Review.
Associations of specific types of fruit and vegetables with perceived stress in adults: the AusDiab study.
Radavelli-Bagatini S, Sim M, Blekkenhorst LC, Bondonno NP, Bondonno CP, Woodman R, Dickson JM, Magliano DJ, Shaw JE, Daly RM, Hodgson JM, Lewis JR. Radavelli-Bagatini S, et al. Eur J Nutr. 2022 Sep;61(6):2929-2938. doi: 10.1007/s00394-022-02848-5. Epub 2022 Mar 20. Eur J Nutr. 2022. PMID: 35307760 Free PMC article.
Higher Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables Is Associated With Lower Worries, Tension and Lack of Joy Across the Lifespan.
Radavelli-Bagatini S, Sim M, Blekkenhorst LC, Bondonno NP, Bondonno CP, Woodman R, Dickson JM, Harms C, Magliano DJ, Shaw JE, Daly RM, Hodgson JM, Lewis JR. Radavelli-Bagatini S, et al. Front Nutr. 2022 May 2;9:837066. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.837066. eCollection 2022. Front Nutr. 2022. PMID: 35586735 Free PMC article.

See all "Cited by" articles

References

1. Association AP (2013) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Pub - DOI
1. Depression (2018) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression . Accessed 15 Oct 2020
1. (ABS) ABoS (2008) National survey of mental health and wellbeing: summary of results, 4326.0, 2007. Australian Bureau of Statistics Canberra
1. Roger W, Inga L, Peter B, Esperanza V-T (2018) The household, income and labour dynamics in Australia survey: selected findings from waves 1 to 17. (The 14th annual statistical report of the HILDA survey)
1. World Health Organization (2017) Depression and other common mental disorders: global health estimates. World Health Organization

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
- Springer
Other Literature Sources
- scite Smart Citations
Medical
- MedlinePlus Health Information

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Association of habitual intake of fruits and vegetables with depressive symptoms: the AusDiab study

Affiliations

Association of habitual intake of fruits and vegetables with depressive symptoms: the AusDiab study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Similar articles

Cited by

References

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical

Abstract

Similar articles

Cited by

References

MeSH terms

Related information

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical