Dietary total antioxidant capacity in association to depression and sleep quality in Turkish young adults

Depression is a psychological disorder that can be seen frequently in different age groups, especially in young adults, and its prevalence is increasing. Sleep disorders, one of the common symptoms of depression, are also seen at high prevalence among young adults. The aim of this study was to examine the association between dietary total antioxidant capacity (dTAC) with depressive symptoms and poor sleep quality. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 498 university students (84 males and 414 females). Research data were obtained through questionnaire surveys. The questionnaire included demographic information, dietary habits, Beck Depression Inventory and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Additionally, dTAC was calculated from a 24-h dietary record and divided into tertiles. According to the results, 32.5% of the participants were depressed and 72.3% had poor sleep quality. After controlling for potential factors, we found that participants in the highest of dTAC were 71% less at risk of having depression than those in the lowest (odds ratio: 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.17–0.49). Regarding poor sleep quality, we found an inverse significant association between dTAC and poor sleep quality when comparing the highest vs lowest tertiles (odds ratio: 0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.05–0.19; p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate a significant inverse association between dTAC and the risk of depression and poor sleep quality in young adults. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.