Assessment of the nutritional status and food craving of the patients diagnosed with major depression

The aim of the present study was to investigate the nutritional status and food craving of the patients diagnosed with major depression. The study was conducted on 203 patients (144 females, 59 males) between the ages of 20-64 who were diagnosed with major depression in 3 different psychiatry centres. At the first stage of the study, validity and reliability studies were performed for the Turkish version of the Food Craving Questionnaire (FCQ) to be used for the assessment of the food craving behaviours of the patients and all the factors included in the original scale were obtained. A questionnaire was applied to patients including demographic, life style and disease characteristics of the patients. Information about the nutritional status of the patients was gained through the food consumption frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements and body compositions of the patients were carried out and their physical activity levels were determined. The average age of the patients was found to be 37.1±11.98 years. Whereas the male patients had a depression period that lasted for 13.1± 7.78 months on average, the depression period of the female patients lasted for 12.5 ± 7.45 months on average. 79.7% of the male patients and 79.2% of the female patients were using antidepressant drugs. 55.2% of the patients were inactive, 42.4% of them were minimally active and 2.5% of them were very active. The Body Mass Indexes (BMI) of the male and female patients were analysed and considering the maximum ratios it was found out that; 44.1% of the male and 34.0% of the female patients were overweight. The waist/hip ratios of 9.4% of the male and 50.2% of the female patients were above the average values. Body fat percentages of 18.2% of the male and 43.8% of the female patients were above the average values. In the study, a positive and statistically significant correlation was found between FCQ score and the body weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and fat tissue (kg) (p˂0.05). viii In the study, a negative and statistically significant correlation was found between the emotional state and the body weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist/hip ratio, body fat (%) and fat tissue (kg) (p˂0.05). When the nutritional status of the patients were analysed, 62.1% of them were observed to have vitamin A deficiency, 49.3% of them vitamin E deficiency, 91.1% of them thiamine deficiency, 68.0% of them riboflavin deficiency, 87.7% of them vitamin B6 deficiency, 61.6% of them B12 deficiency and 62.1% of them vitamin C deficiency. In addition to these; 84.7% of the patients were observed to have calcium deficiency, 90.1% of them zinc deficiency, 90.6% of them magnesium deficiency, 92.1% of them iron deficiency and 73.9% of them copper deficiency. There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between FCQ scores and dietary protein (g) and iron intake; a negative and statistically significant correlation between the duration of depression and protein (%), folate and vitamin B6 intake; a negative and statistically significant correlation between the emotional state and protein (g), niacin, vitamin B6 and zinc intake (p˂0.05). There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between FCQ scores and chocolate, chocolate products, cake and pastries, fast-food, potato chips and bakery products (p˂0.05). The patients who were using antidepressant drugs gave higher scores for their consumption of crisps, fizzy drinks, fast-food and potato chips compared to the ones who were not using such drugs and the differences between these two groups were found to be statistically significant (p˂0.05). In conclusion of all these results it is considered that; if the factors such as nutritional deficiencies, food cravings and the use of antidepressant drugs are taken into consideration when planning the diets of the patients of major depression, the dietary treatment could be successful and the quality of their life style could be improved. Key words: Major depression, nutritional status, food craving