Low-Fat Dairy Intake Could Influence Mental Health

Consuming low-fat yogurt or milk 1 to 4 times a week was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, according to the results of a new study.

Previous studies have reported on the health benefits of dairy, but few have examined the effects of frequency of whole- and low-fat dairy consumption on depressive symptoms.
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The cross-sectional study included 1159 Japanese adults from 19 to 83 years of age. Participants completed a diet history questionnaire that assessed low- and whole-fat dairy consumption, and a self-rating depression scale (SDS). Depressive symptoms were defined as a SDS score of 45 points or more.  

Using logistic regression models, researchers found that a high consumption of low-fat dairy was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms, but did not observe an association between depression and the consumption of whole-fat dairy. Overall, the odds ratios for prevalence of depression when no consumption of low-fat dairy was compared with moderate (1-3 times per week) and high (4 or more times a week) frequencies were 0.96 and 0.51, respectively.

“The current results indicate that a higher frequency of low-fat dairy consumption may be associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms,” the researchers concluded.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Cui Y, Huang C, Momma H, et al. Consumption of low-fat dairy, but not whole-fat dairy, is inversely associated with depressive symptoms in Japanese adults [published online January 9, 2017]. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. doi:10.1007/s00127-016-1333-1.