Adherence to a Dash-style diet in relation to depression and aggression in adolescent girls

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess adherence to the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern in relation to depression and aggression in adolescent girls. The study was carried out among 580 girls aged between 12 and 18 years of age. DASH scores were determined according to the method of Fung et al. A Persian version of the Beck Depression Inventory and Buss-Perry questionnaire were used for the assessment of depression and aggression. We analysed our data using crude and adjusted models. Adjustments were made for age, energy intake, mother's job status, passive smoking, start of menstruation, parental death, parental divorce, physical activity level and body mass index, using three different models. A high adherence to a Dash-style diet (for individuals in the upper quartile) was associated with a lower odds of depression compared with subjects with lower adherence (those in the lowest quartile) (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.26-0.84, P-value = 0.009); these associations remained significant after adjustments. However, we did not obtain any significant relationship between a DASH-style diet and aggression. We observed a significant inverse relationship between greater adherence to a DASH diet and lower odds of depression. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Keywords: Aggression; DASH; Depression; Diet; Psychological health.