Temporal changes in Mediterranean-style diet adherence and ultra-processed food exposure in relation to psychological distress at follow-up: A 12-year analysis of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Consuming a Mediterranean-style diet is associated with lower depression risk. Concurrently, the ultra-processed food (UPF) dietary pattern is associated with increased depression risk. As dietary patterns shift over time, it is important to understand how changes in these dietary patterns relate to psychological distress as an indicator of depression. METHODS: We used a subset of data from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (n = 21,718). Dietary intake was assessed at baseline and follow-up using food frequency questionnaires, from which Mediterranean diet scores and UPF exposure were derived. Psychological distress at follow-up was measured using the Kessler Psychological..