The association between Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Distress in Iranian Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Few studies have been performed on the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in relation to psychological health, particularly in the Middle East region. In the present study, the association between adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and psychological disorders (including depression, anxiety, and psychological distress), was investigated among a large population of Iranian adults.   This cross-sectional study was performed on 3172 adults (aged 18-55 years). The Mediterranean regimen model, was derived from the Trichopoulou et al. method. To investigate the relationship between Mediterranean diet and mental disorders, logistic regression was used with three modified models. In addition to the Mediterranean diet, the same analysis was performed for that pattern of food associated with psychological disorders.   The participants with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet had lower risk for depression (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.46-0.78), anxiety (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.42-0.86), and psychological distress (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.45-0.79) compared to those with the lowest adherence. high intake of fruits and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of depression (Fruits: OR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.31-0.54 and vegetables: OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.40-0.70), anxiety (Fruits: OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.39-0.79; vegetables: OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.39-0.84), and psychological distress (Fruits: OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.36-0.63; vegetables: OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.34-0.62). In contrast, high intake of grains was positively associated with depression (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.12-2.27), anxiety (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.11-2.82) and psychological distress (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.16-2.45).   The findings of this study indicated an inverse association between adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and risk of psychological disorders (such as depression, anxiety, and psychological distress).