A new study found that eating more fish could help both men and women control depression, which is becoming more and more rampant worldwide.
Controversy envelopes the relationship of depression risk and fish intake, says the group of researchers from China. In this new study, they analyzed study findings from previous numerous studies to clarify this issue, taking into consideration the gender of the participants.
The researchers obtained data from different research bases including PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science dated up to March 2015. After going over the researches, the authors were able to identify 101 applicable studies that contain 16 papers suitable for investigations. The 16 articles tackled a total of 26 studies with 150,278 subjects.
The findings of the analysis, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health Results, showed that the participants who ate the most servings of fish developed a 17 percent decreased risk of developing depression compared to those who ate the least. The researchers also performed the same analysis in separate genders, but the results still yielded a notable inverse relationship. Publication biases were neither observed nor proven during the study.
More intake of fish may be helpful in the main preventive approach to battle depression, said the authors. Further investigations, however, are warranted to determine if the said finding may vary depending on the type of fish consumed.
Although the authors said that the reason for their study results are not well established, they suggested that the structure responsible for secreting depression-associated neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine may be modified by the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish. Aside from that, a diet rich in high-quality protein, minerals and vitamins may help extend protective benefits against depression. Also, the researchers said that eating fish may be related to a generally healthy diet and lifestyle that these people employ.
In the end, the researchers concluded that their review of multiple studies has proven that consumption of high amounts of fish can help decrease the risk of developing depression in both men and women.
About 350 million individuals all around the world have been affected by depression. According to estimates, this psychological condition may rank second in the leading causes of illness by 2020.
Photo: Ann Wuyts | Flickr
