In a recent study published in the BMC Public Health Journal, researchers have discovered a significant link between diet diversity and reduced depression risk among knowledge workers. The study, conducted in China, explored the association between dietary habits, sedentary behavior outside of work, and depressive symptoms in a large cohort of 118,723 knowledge workers.
Previous research has identified both low-diversity diets and sedentary habits as risk factors for depression. However, there is a lack of studies examining a diverse population of knowledge workers. Additionally, few studies have investigated the connection between depressive symptoms and sedentary behavior outside of work.
Knowledge workers, who play crucial roles in today’s service and knowledge-based global economy, often face mental health challenges, including depression, due to the demanding nature of their jobs.
To address these gaps in knowledge, researchers conducted a multi-center cross-sectional study between January 2018 and December 2020. They enrolled participants from various hospitals in China, ensuring they met specific inclusion criteria. The participants completed an 86-item online survey at the medical center and provided demographic data, lifestyle/dietary information, and completed surveys related to depressive symptoms.
The study analyzed the level of sedentary behavior outside of work, ranging from less than two hours to more than six hours per day. Dietary diversity was measured using the Chinese Food Pagoda as the Dietary Diversity Scale (DDS). The results showed that a higher proportion of knowledge workers with diets in the DDS-1 and DDS-2 categories exhibited depressive symptoms. However, the relationship was inverse in the DDS-3 group, indicating a reduced risk of depressive symptoms among those with adequate dietary diversity.
The study also revealed that regular meal consumption was associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms, emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet for maintaining healthy brain function. Interestingly, knowledge workers who reported never overeating had a lower risk of depressive symptoms. Additionally, the study found that moderate alcohol consumption and smoking were linked to a decreased risk of depressive symptoms, while daily consumption of sugary drinks exacerbated symptomatology.
Furthermore, the researchers observed that knowledge workers who engaged in no physical activity and had a sedentary lifestyle outside of work had a higher rate of depressive symptoms. The severity of symptoms increased with the duration of sedentariness.
The findings of this study highlight the significance of a diverse diet and reduced sedentary behavior for knowledge workers’ mental health. Implementing interventions to improve dietary diversity and decrease sedentary time outside of work is crucial. However, further research is needed to validate these findings and explore additional factors contributing to depressive symptoms among knowledge workers.
The study, titled Association between dietary diversity, sedentary time outside of work and depressive symptoms among knowledge workers: a multi-center cross-sectional study, provides valuable insights into the relationship between lifestyle factors and mental health in this specific occupational group.
Sources:
Li, L., Yang, P., Duan, Y. et al. (2024) Association between dietary diversity, sedentary time outside of work and depressive symptoms among knowledge workers: a multi-center cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 24, 53. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-17567-7
