Evaluation of the relationship between fermented foodconsumption and gut health in patients diagnosed withdepressive disorder

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between fermented food consumption and gut health in individuals diagnosed with depressive disorder. A total of 100 volunteer patients (56 women and 44 men), aged 20–64 years and diagnosed with depressive disorder, were recruited from the Psychiatry Department of Ankara Elmadağ State Hospital. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, dietary habits, frequency of fermented food consumption, bowel habits, anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and 24-hour dietary recall. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Bristol Stool Scale, Microbiota Awareness Scale (MAS), Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), and Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EAQ). Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. It was found that 64.0% of participants had healthy bowel patterns (p>0.05). Defecation frequency was ≤3 times per day, and significantly lower among those with very severe depression (p<0.05). Depression severity groups differed significantly in terms of body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and waist-to-height ratios (p<0.05). Participants with very severe depression reported lower consumption of ayran, Jerusalem artichoke, and tomatoes—foods known to support gut health and fermentation (p<0.05). Fat intake was significantly higher in this group (p<0.05). A negative correlation was found between MAS and BDI scores (r = -0.282, p<0.05), and between MAS scores and diarrhea symptoms (r = -0.373, p<0.05). In conclusion, fermented foods and gut health appear to influence depression through multiple mechanisms, emphasizing the need for nutrition strategies focused on the gut–brain axis in future treatment approaches.