You Are What You Eat: Food As a Risk Factor and a Treatment for Depression

Study Summary

This study experimentally investigates 1) whether ultra processed food (UPF) intake contributes to depression by increasing low mood and poor sleep due to blood glucose fluctuations (which then increases the desire to consume more UPFs) and 2) to investigate the effectiveness of a 2-week meal-kit intervention that provides convenient and tasty minimally processed foods (MPF) to reduce depression. The following aims and hypotheses are tested: Aim 1: To investigate whether UPF intake and low mood contribute to each other in a cyclical fashion through the mechanisms of blood glucose fluctuations and disrupted sleep in individuals with moderate-to-severe depression. H1: It is hypothesized that UPF intake and high blood glucose will be associated with low mood in individuals with depression. Aim 2: To establish an industry partnership to investigate whether commercially available meal kit delivery reduces symptoms of depression in individuals with moderate-to-severe depression relative to a nutrition education control condition. H2: Meal kit delivery will lead to reductions in depression symptoms and daily reductions in low mood relative to the control condition (nutrition guidance only).

Primary Outcome

Depression symptoms (e.g., anhedonia, low energy) will be assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) using ecological momentary assessment and at each study visit. The PHQ-8 scores 8 DSM-IV criteria as "0" (not at all) to "3" (nearly every day). Higher PHQ-8 scores indicate greater depression symptoms.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• OTHER Low UPF Meals (Study Provided)
• OTHER Low UPF Nutritional Guidance
• OTHER Low UPF Snacks (Study Provided)

Study Locations (1)