Improving Cardiovascular Health May Help Prevent Onset Of Depression: Experts

A new study has concluded that high cardiovascular risk are associated with depressive symptoms, especially in women.

The prevalence and burden of mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, has been increasing worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation. What exactly causes depression is not clear, but several factors can make you more vulnerable to it. These include abuse, conflict, death or a loss of a loved one, family history of depression, serious illnesses, and certain medications.

Elder people are also at higher risk of depression, especially those who are living alone and lack social support. Now, a new study has revealed that cardiovascular risk factors are associated with an increased risk of depression in older adults, suggesting that improving cardiovascular health might help prevent the onset of depression in the elderly.

The study was published April 13 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

High cardiovascular risk associated with symptoms of depression

Research has shown depression as a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. But there are limited studies on the potential impact of cardiovascular health on developing depression.

In the new study, the researchers analyzed the effect of a Mediterranean Diet on 6,545 overweight or obese people. The participants (including men aged 55-75 and women aged 60-75) had no cardiovascular or endocrine disease at baseline. This is what they found at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up:

• At the beginning of the study, women in high (HR) cardiovascular risk group showed higher odds of depressive status than those in low (LR) cardiovascular risk group.
• Among all participants with baseline total cholesterol below 160 mg/mL, those in medium (MR) and high (HR) cardiovascular risk groups showed higher odds of depression, compared to those in LR.
• Among participants with total cholesterol of 280 mg/mL or higher, MR and HR individuals had a lower risk of depression than LR.
• Two years after following Mediterranean Diet, the participants' depressive status score decreased. The greatest decreases were seen for MR and HR participants with high baseline cholesterol levels.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that high and very high cardiovascular risk are associated with depressive symptoms, especially in women. However, they noted that the role of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet needs further research.