The Australian SMILES trial, published in BMC Medicine in 2017, included 67 adults with moderate to severe depression. Over 12 weeks, one group had seven sessions with a clinical dietitian, and the other had the same number of social support sessions. Depressive symptoms fell more in the diet group.
Remission results
After 12 weeks, remission, meaning near-complete disappearance of symptoms, was reached by 32% of the diet group and 8% of the control group. The trial is small, so it is important to confirm the results in larger studies.
What this means for you
- More vegetables, fruit, legumes, wholegrains, fish and olive oil may also benefit your mood.
- Diet is extra support, not a substitute for depression treatment.
- If you want to change your diet, it is worth talking to a dietitian.
Sources
- Jacka F. N., O’Neil A., Opie R. et al. (2017). A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Medicine, 15. doi:10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y