Study finds good nutrition helps fight depression

This was the conclusion reached by Australian researchers from a study called the Randomised Controlled Trial of Nutritional Improvement in Adults with Major Depression.

Researchers followed several groups of moderately and severely depressed adults for 12 weeks who received psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy or a combination of the two. A total of 166 people took part in the study and were assessed using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at baseline and after 12 weeks.

One of the groups additionally received seven individual nutritional counselling sessions conducted by a clinical nutritionist.

These results show that improved diet can provide an effective and affordable treatment strategy for this widespread mental disorder, the benefits of which may extend to the treatment of common comorbidities," the researchers note.