This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 0898264309340693v1 21/6/864    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Bountziouka, V. Articles by Panagiotakos, D. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bountziouka, V. Articles by Panagiotakos, D. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Long-Term Fish Intake Is Associated With Less Severe Depressive Symptoms Among Elderly Men and Women

The MEDIS (MEDiterranean ISlands Elderly) Epidemiological Study

Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

Evangelos Polychronopoulos, MD, PhD

Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

Akis Zeimbekis, MD

General Hospital of Mitilini, Mitilini, Greece

Eftichia Papavenetiou, RD, BSc

Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

Evaggelia Ladoukaki, MD

University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

Natassa Papairakleous, RD, MSc

Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

Efthimios Gotsis, MD

Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

George Metallinos, MD

Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

Christos Lionis, MD

Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

Demosthenes Panagiotakos, PhD

Harokopio University, Athens, Greece, D.b.Panagiotakos{at}usa.net

Objective: This work aims at exploring the association between fish intake and depressive symptoms, in older adults. Method: During 2005-2007, 1,190 men and women (>65 years) free living in various Greek islands and in Cyprus participated in the study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the validated Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and foods intake through a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Results: Almost 70% of the participants scored above the depressive cutoff (i.e., GDS score > 5), with women having higher values. People classified under the 1st tertile of GDS score (i.e., GDS 5) were more educated, physically active, and report higher fish consumption. One portion increase of fish consumption per week was associated with 0.58 times (95% confidence interval: 0.45-0.73) lower likelihood of having GDS score above the clinical threshold, after various adjustments were made. Discussion: These findings may assist public health policy makers in better preventing emotional disorders among the elderly by promoting healthier eating habits.

Key Words: epidemiology • geriatrics • health behaviors

This version was published on September 1, 2009

Journal of Aging and Health, Vol. 21, No. 6, 864-880 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0898264309340693


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?