Association between Fish Intake and Depressive Symptoms among Community-living Older Chinese Adults in Singapore: A Cross-sectional Study

J Nutr Health Aging. 2016 Apr;20(4):404-7. doi: 10.1007/s12603-015-0590-0.

Abstract

Objective: Our aim of this study was to investigate the association between fish consumption and depressive symptoms in senior ethnic Chinese residents of Singapore.

Design: A population-based cross-sectional study.

Setting: The Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (SLAS).

Participant: The study consisted of 2,034 participants from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Studies (SLAS) project who were at least 55 years old.

Measurements: The presence of depressive symptoms was compared between those who self-reported eating fish at least three times a week versus those who ate fish less often. A score of 5 or greater on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was the cutoff for being designated as having depressive symptoms.

Results: Fish intake was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms ([odds ratio] OR = 0.60, 95% [confidence interval] CI 0.40-0.90; P = .015) after controlling for age, sex, marital status, housing, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical exercise, social and productive activities, self-rated health, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure or attack, stroke, fruit and vegetable intake, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that eating fish at least three times a week is associated with a lower odds of having depressive symptoms among Chinese adults over 55 years old living in Singapore.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aging*
  • Animals
  • Asian People*
  • China / ethnology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression / diet therapy
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Depression / prevention & control
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Diet / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Fishes*
  • Geriatric Assessment
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Self Report
  • Singapore / epidemiology