Association between eicosapentaenoic acid consumption and the risk of depressive symptoms in US adults: Analyses from NHANES 2005-2018

Background: This study examines the relationship between eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) intake from food and depression. EPA, an Omega -3 fatty acid commonly found in fish and seafood, has garnered attention for its potential role in depression prevention and treatment. Methods: We selected 30,976 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2005 and 2018. Depressive symptoms were diagnosed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). EPA intake was assessed through dietary evaluation. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline regression (RCS) were employed to assess the correlation between EPA and depressive symptom. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 7.3 %. Participants with depressive symptoms exhibited lower EPA intake from food compared to non -depressed individuals. This negative association with depressive symptoms persisted even after accounting for various potential influencing factors (e.g., age, gender, body mass index, total energy intake, comorbidities). Notably, EPA demonstrated a nonlinear association with depressive symptoms, particularly in females. Conclusions: This study emphasizes a significant negative correlation between EPA consumption and depressive symptoms, particularly in females. This suggests that maintaining a rich EPA diet may play a role in depression prevention and treatment.