(P07-006-23) The Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and the Dietary Inflammatory Index in Pregnant Hispanic Women with Low Incomes

Objectives: Mental illnesses, including depression, are a serious public health burden. Women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to men and over half a million women experience perinatal depression each year. Although numerous factors contribute to mental health and well-being, pro-inflammatory dietary patterns may play a role. Thus, the inflammatory potential of the diet should be explored within the context of mental health. This study examined the association between dietary inflammation, estimated by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), and depressive symptoms among pregnant Hispanic women with low incomes.

Methods: Food frequency questionnaires were completed by 512 Hispanic women with low income enrolled in the Starting Early Program, a primary care-based childhood obesity prevention trial. The inflammatory potential of the diet was calculated using the DII, with higher scores indicating a pro-inflammatory diet. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Sociodemographic, cultural, and lifestyle questions were also completed. Statistical analyses, including independent sample t-tests and chi-square analyses, were completed.

Results: Participants (age: 27.8±5.9 years; pre-pregnancy BMI: 27.5±5.5 kg/m²) were dichotomized into an anti-inflammatory (AID: DII < 0; n=245) or pro-inflammatory (PID: DII≥0; n=267) diet group, based on DII score. In total, 173 women (34%) had at least mild level depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 5). However, no significant differences or associations were found between diet groups for total depressive symptoms (AID: 4.0±3.7; PID: 3.9±3.4; p=0.920) or depression categories (AID: with depression [81(33.1%)], without depression [164(66.9%)]; PID: with depression [92(34.5%)], without depression [175(65.4%)]; p=0.810).

Conclusions: In this cohort of pregnant Hispanic women, the inflammatory potential of the diet was not associated with depressive symptoms. However, more than 1/3 of study participants had at least mild depressive symptoms. Future research, especially randomized controlled trials, is needed to explore the benefits of healthy eating patterns on depressive symptoms.

Funding Sources: United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)