TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term fish intake is associated with less severe depressive symptoms among elderly men and women
T2 - The MEDIS (MEDiterranean ISlands Elderly) epidemiological study
AU - Bountziouka, Vassiliki
AU - Polychronopoulos, Evangelos
AU - Zeimbekis, Akis
AU - Papavenetiou, Eftichia
AU - Ladoukaki, Evaggelia
AU - Papairakleous, Natassa
AU - Gotsis, Efthimios
AU - Metallinos, George
AU - Lionis, Christos
AU - Panagiotakos, Demosthenes
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - Objective: This work aims at exploring the association between fish intake and depressive symptoms, in older adults. Method: During 2005-2007, 1,190 men and women (>65 years) free living in various Greek islands and in Cyprus participated in the study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the validated Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and foods intake through a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Results: Almost 70% of the participants scored above the depressive cutoff (i.e., GDS score > 5), with women having higher values. People classified under the 1st tertile of GDS score (i.e., GDS ≤ 5) were more educated, physically active, and report higher fish consumption. One portion increase of fish consumption per week was associated with 0.58 times (95% confidence interval: 0.45-0.73) lower likelihood of having GDS score above the clinical threshold, after various adjustments were made. Discussion: These findings may assist public health policy makers in better preventing emotional disorders among the elderly by promoting healthier eating habits.
AB - Objective: This work aims at exploring the association between fish intake and depressive symptoms, in older adults. Method: During 2005-2007, 1,190 men and women (>65 years) free living in various Greek islands and in Cyprus participated in the study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the validated Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and foods intake through a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Results: Almost 70% of the participants scored above the depressive cutoff (i.e., GDS score > 5), with women having higher values. People classified under the 1st tertile of GDS score (i.e., GDS ≤ 5) were more educated, physically active, and report higher fish consumption. One portion increase of fish consumption per week was associated with 0.58 times (95% confidence interval: 0.45-0.73) lower likelihood of having GDS score above the clinical threshold, after various adjustments were made. Discussion: These findings may assist public health policy makers in better preventing emotional disorders among the elderly by promoting healthier eating habits.
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Geriatrics
KW - Health behaviors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=69149100580&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0898264309340693
DO - 10.1177/0898264309340693
M3 - Article
C2 - 19587361
AN - SCOPUS:69149100580
SN - 0898-2643
VL - 21
SP - 864
EP - 880
JO - Journal of Aging and Health
JF - Journal of Aging and Health
IS - 6
ER -