Prescribing a Diet to Treat Depression

The first-ever randomized controlled clinical trial^[1] to test a dietary intervention as a treatment for clinical depression has just been published. I am Dr Drew Ramsey. I am assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City, and I am reporting for Medscape Psychiatry. I am excited to share the results of this very interesting study with you.

Two researchers, Felice Jacka and Michael Berk, led a consortium of Australian Institutions based at the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia. Over 3 years, they recruited several hundred patients with moderate to severe depression and entered 67 into a 12-week parallel group trial. The treatment group received seven 60-minute sessions of dietary counselling. The parallel control group received a matching social support protocol. All but nine of the 67 participants were receiving another active treatment—either psychotherapy, medications, or both.

In the dietary counseling sessions, participants were implored to increase consumption of foods in 12 food categories. The food categories, as you may guess, included whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, and lean meats, chicken, and seafood, and to decrease consumption of foods that are correlated with a higher risk for depression: empty carbohydrates, refined starches, and highly processed foods.