A meta-study (where the outcomes of different streams of research are analyzed) suggests that eating fish can help hold back depression. This is based on a review of 26 separate strands, consisting of 150,000 study participants, of research. Most of the studies were conducted in Europe. The quantifiable level of “not feeling depressed” compared with “feeling depressed” was a reduction of 17 percent. In other words, around 1 in 5 people who suffered with depression felt less depressed if they eat a diet rich in fish.
The outcome was similar for both men and women. The reason for the effect, the Chinese scientists behind the meta-study speculate, is because the omega-three fatty acids found in fish affect various aspects of brain activity, particularly dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine and serotonin are signalling chemicals (neurotransmitters) that are generally considered to be involved in depression.
Speaking with BBC Science, lead researcher Professor Dongfeng Zhang, from the Medical College of Qingdao University, told the news site: “Higher fish consumption may be beneficial in the primary prevention of depression” He also added: “Future studies are needed to further investigate whether this association varies according to the type of fish.”
The research is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The paper is titled “Fish consumption and risk of depression: a meta-analysis.”
Although the effect were limited to 17 percent of people they add to the body evidence that diet, in different forms and applicable to different people, can over a long period of time affect people’s moods.
