Nutrient Patterns Associated with Depression Diagnosis: Evidence from the CUME+ Study
Name: JOÃO VITOR MORAES DOS SANTOS
Publication date: 20/02/2026
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| CAROLINA PERIM DE FARIA | Examinador Interno |
| FERNANDA DE CARVALHO VIDIGAL | Coorientador |
| JOSE LUIZ MARQUES ROCHA | Presidente |
| RAQUEL DE DEUS MENDONÇA | Examinador Externo |
Summary: Introduction: Depression is a disabling and multifactorial mental disorder. In addition to pharmacological treatment, diet plays an important role in prevention and management, as it influences neurobiological and inflammatory mechanisms linked to mental health. Objective: To assess the association between nutrient patterns and depression diagnosis among participants of the Coorte de Universidades Mineiras Plus (CUME+). Method: This is a cross-sectional study with 8,695 graduates from federal universities, with data collected between 2016 and 2022 through an online questionnaire. Variables of interest included sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and health-related factors. Depression diagnosis was self-reported. A food frequency questionnaire was completed, and nutrient patterns were identified using principal component analysis. Nutrient values were obtained from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística food composition table; when information was unavailable, the Brazilian Food Composition Table and the Nutrition Data System for Research were used. Nutrients were adjusted using the residual method. Binary logistic regression was employed to examine the association between nutrient patterns and depression; subgroup analyses were also performed. Models were adjusted for sex, age, marital status, education, and income (model 1), and additionally for body mass index (BMI), antidepressant use, physical activity, and vitamin supplement intake (model 2). Statistical analyses were conducted in IBM SPSS Statistics, version 22.0, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The final sample comprised 7,617 participants, of whom 13.2% reported a depression diagnosis, 67.9% were women, 54.3% had an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, and 62.9% reported earning seven or more minimum wages. Three nutrient patterns were extracted, with a total explained variance of 43.72% and a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0.676. Pattern 2, rich in protein, vitamin B12, cholesterol, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B3, saturated fat, and calcium, and low in flavan-3-ols, carbohydrates, omega-3, omega-6, fiber, and vitamin B9, was positively associated with depression in participants with BMI < 25 kg/m² (PR = 1.399; 95% CI = 1.009–1.939; p-value = 0.044). In contrast, Pattern 3, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-6, selenium, lipids, omega-3, and monounsaturated fatty acids, and low in flavanones and vitamin B1, demonstrated a protective effect in the overall sample (PR = 0.754; 95% CI = 0.599–0.948; p-value = 0.016) and in specific subgroups: women (PR = 0.610; 95% CI = 0.408–0.914; p-value = 0.016), individuals with BMI 30 kg/m² (PR = 0.549; 95% CI = 0.306–0.984; p-value = 0.044), physically inactive individuals (PR = 0.742; 95% CI = 0.558–0.986; p-value = 0.040), and non-users of antidepressants (PR = 0.715; 95% CI = 0.548–0.933; p-value = 0.013), even after adjustment for confounding variables. Participants with greater adherence to Pattern 3 showed higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, tubers, oilseeds, and cereals. Conclusion: This study found a significant association between nutrient patterns 2 and 3 and the prevalence of depression among CUME+ participants. These findings reinforce the importance of considering dietary composition in depression prevention and management strategies, particularly in specific subpopulations.
