TOKYO—Greater consumption of fish rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may fight off depression in male adolescents, according to a new study (Pediatrics. ePub 16 Aug 2010. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-3277). As part of the Ryukyus Child Health Study, coordinated out of the University of Tokyo, researchers looked at the association between depressive symptoms and the intake of fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in a group of boys and girls aged 12 to 15 years. The cross-sectional study was conducted in all public high schools in Naha City and Nago City, Okinawa, and included 3,067 boys and 3,450 girls. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated, self-administered questionnaire, while depressive symptoms were assessed on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale.
Total prevalence of depressive symptoms in the cohort was 22.5 percent for boys and 31.2 percent for girls. Among the male subjects, fish intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms, with those in the highest quintile of intake having a 27 percent reduced risk compared those in the lowest quintile. EPA intake was also inversely associated with depression in boys (OR: 0.71); DHA intake was inversely related, but not significantly so. Also, the combination of EPA and DHA intake was inversely associated with depressive symptoms in the male subjects (OR: 0.72). However, no such associations were seen in the female cohort.