Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study

Abstract Background Accumulating evidence showed that dietary habits might modify the risk of depression. This study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal association of egg consumption with depressive symptoms in the Chinese elderly. Methods We analyzed the data from Zhejiang Ageing and Health Cohort...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fudong Li, Xiaoli Li, Xue Gu, Tao Zhang, Le Xu, Junfen Lin, Kun Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-01-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04540-2
_version_ 1797945808209838080
author Fudong Li
Xiaoli Li
Xue Gu
Tao Zhang
Le Xu
Junfen Lin
Kun Chen
author_facet Fudong Li
Xiaoli Li
Xue Gu
Tao Zhang
Le Xu
Junfen Lin
Kun Chen
author_sort Fudong Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Accumulating evidence showed that dietary habits might modify the risk of depression. This study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal association of egg consumption with depressive symptoms in the Chinese elderly. Methods We analyzed the data from Zhejiang Ageing and Health Cohort Study including 8289 participants. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms at baseline and three waves of follow-up (2015, 2016, and 2019–2020). A PHQ-9 cut-off score ≥ 5 was used to define depressive symptoms. The participants with depressive symptoms at baseline were excluded. Egg consumption was evaluated through the diet habits section of the baseline questionnaire. Self-reported egg consumption was measured as the number of eggs per week and categorized into three categories. Log-binomial regression models with Generalized Estimating Equations were utilized to evaluate the association of egg consumption with depressive symptoms and estimate relative risks (RRs). Results The mean age of included participants was 68.6 years. After 6 years of follow-up, 1385 (16.7%) participants were indicated with depressive symptoms by PHQ-9 at least once. Compared with non-consumers or less-than-weekly consumers, participants consuming < 3 eggs/week and ≥ 3 eggs/week had 30% (RR = 0.70, 95%CI 0.62–0.80) and 38% (RR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.54–0.71) lower risks of depressive symptoms, respectively. A linear association was confirmed (P for trend < 0.01), and each egg increment per week was associated with a 4% lower risk of depressive symptoms (RR = 0.96, 95%CI 0.93–0.99). Sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results to the main analyses. Conclusions Egg consumption is prospectively related to a lower risk of depressive symptoms in the Chinese elderly. More prospective studies are needed to verify the association.
first_indexed 2024-04-10T21:00:58Z
format Article
id doaj.art-67b9f92f550641479c150f55c830472d
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-244X
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-10T21:00:58Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Psychiatry
spelling doaj.art-67b9f92f550641479c150f55c830472d2023-01-22T12:21:13ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-01-012311910.1186/s12888-023-04540-2Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort studyFudong Li0Xiaoli Li1Xue Gu2Tao Zhang3Le Xu4Junfen Lin5Kun Chen6Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of MedicineZhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and PreventionZhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and PreventionZhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and PreventionZhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and PreventionDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityAbstract Background Accumulating evidence showed that dietary habits might modify the risk of depression. This study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal association of egg consumption with depressive symptoms in the Chinese elderly. Methods We analyzed the data from Zhejiang Ageing and Health Cohort Study including 8289 participants. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms at baseline and three waves of follow-up (2015, 2016, and 2019–2020). A PHQ-9 cut-off score ≥ 5 was used to define depressive symptoms. The participants with depressive symptoms at baseline were excluded. Egg consumption was evaluated through the diet habits section of the baseline questionnaire. Self-reported egg consumption was measured as the number of eggs per week and categorized into three categories. Log-binomial regression models with Generalized Estimating Equations were utilized to evaluate the association of egg consumption with depressive symptoms and estimate relative risks (RRs). Results The mean age of included participants was 68.6 years. After 6 years of follow-up, 1385 (16.7%) participants were indicated with depressive symptoms by PHQ-9 at least once. Compared with non-consumers or less-than-weekly consumers, participants consuming < 3 eggs/week and ≥ 3 eggs/week had 30% (RR = 0.70, 95%CI 0.62–0.80) and 38% (RR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.54–0.71) lower risks of depressive symptoms, respectively. A linear association was confirmed (P for trend < 0.01), and each egg increment per week was associated with a 4% lower risk of depressive symptoms (RR = 0.96, 95%CI 0.93–0.99). Sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results to the main analyses. Conclusions Egg consumption is prospectively related to a lower risk of depressive symptoms in the Chinese elderly. More prospective studies are needed to verify the association.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04540-2Depressive symptomsEgg consumptionCohort studyElderly
spellingShingle Fudong Li
Xiaoli Li
Xue Gu
Tao Zhang
Le Xu
Junfen Lin
Kun Chen
Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study
BMC Psychiatry
Depressive symptoms
Egg consumption
Cohort study
Elderly
title Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study
title_full Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study
title_fullStr Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study
title_short Egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly: findings from a 6-year cohort study
title_sort egg consumption reduces the risk of depressive symptoms in the elderly findings from a 6 year cohort study
topic Depressive symptoms
Egg consumption
Cohort study
Elderly
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04540-2
work_keys_str_mv AT fudongli eggconsumptionreducestheriskofdepressivesymptomsintheelderlyfindingsfroma6yearcohortstudy
AT xiaolili eggconsumptionreducestheriskofdepressivesymptomsintheelderlyfindingsfroma6yearcohortstudy
AT xuegu eggconsumptionreducestheriskofdepressivesymptomsintheelderlyfindingsfroma6yearcohortstudy
AT taozhang eggconsumptionreducestheriskofdepressivesymptomsintheelderlyfindingsfroma6yearcohortstudy
AT lexu eggconsumptionreducestheriskofdepressivesymptomsintheelderlyfindingsfroma6yearcohortstudy
AT junfenlin eggconsumptionreducestheriskofdepressivesymptomsintheelderlyfindingsfroma6yearcohortstudy
AT kunchen eggconsumptionreducestheriskofdepressivesymptomsintheelderlyfindingsfroma6yearcohortstudy