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A study conÂducted by Spanish researchers found that a diet rich in olive oil can proÂtect against depresÂsion, with volÂunÂteers who conÂsumed trans fats havÂing a higher risk of depresÂsion. The findÂings sugÂgest that carÂdioÂvasÂcuÂlar disÂease and depresÂsion may share comÂmon mechÂaÂnisms related to diet, highÂlightÂing the emoÂtional health benÂeÂfits of the Mediterranean diet.
It is comÂmon knowlÂedge that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet conÂfer a mulÂtiÂtude of health benÂeÂfits. But what about emoÂtional health benÂeÂfits? According to Spanish researchers from the University of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a diet rich in olive oil can proÂtect from menÂtal illÂness. The study included 12,059 volÂunÂteers who were part of the SUN Project, a prospecÂtive study among Spanish uniÂverÂsity alumni, aimed to idenÂtify the dietary deterÂmiÂnants of stroke, coroÂnary disÂease and other disÂorÂders. The researchers folÂlowed these volÂunÂteers for over 6 years and gathÂered data on lifestyle facÂtors such as diet as well as medÂical hisÂtory. At the beginÂning of the study none of the volÂunÂteers sufÂfered from depresÂsion, and by the end of the study, 657 new cases were detected.
The data that was gathÂered, revealed that volÂunÂteers that had a high intake of trans fats, a hydroÂgenated fat found mainly in processed foods, had up to 48 perÂcent increased risk of depresÂsion comÂpared to volÂunÂteers who did not conÂsume these fats accordÂing to Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and first author of the artiÂcle. In addiÂtion, the researchers disÂcovÂered that a higher intake of olive oil and polyunÂsatÂuÂrated fats found in fatty fish and vegÂetable oils was assoÂciÂated with a lower risk of depresÂsion. According to the researchers these findÂings sugÂgest that carÂdioÂvasÂcuÂlar disÂease and depresÂsion may share some comÂmon mechÂaÂnisms related to diet.
This is not the first time that olive oil and the Mediterranean diet are assoÂciÂated with lower rates of depresÂsion. In 2009, Spanish researchers once again disÂcovÂered that indiÂvidÂuÂals who folÂlowed a Mediterranean style diet rich in olive oil, vegÂetaÂbles, beans and fruit were 30 perÂcent less likely to sufÂfer from depresÂsion.
While the researchers point out cerÂtain limÂiÂtaÂtions of the study, such as anaÂlyzÂing the diet only once (at the beginÂning of the study) they point out to sevÂeral strengths such as a large samÂple size as well as mulÂtiÂple adjustÂments for potenÂtial conÂfounders. They add that the findÂings need to be conÂfirmed by furÂther prospecÂtive studÂies and by triÂals.