Table. Ultraprocessed Food Intake is Associated With Increased Risk of Depression in the Nurses’ Health Study II.
| Quintile | Cases, No. | Person-years | Age-adjusted HR (95% CI)a | Multivariate HR (95% CI)b | Multivariate HR (95% CI) with diet quality adjustmentc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strict definition of depression d | |||||
| 1 (<4 servings/day) | 351 | 86 100 | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] |
| 2 (4-5.3 servings/day) | 397 | 86 623 | 1.10 (0.95-1.27) | 1.11 (0.96-1.29) | 1.10 (0.95-1.28) |
| 3 (5.3-6.8 servings/day) | 419 | 85 495 | 1.20 (1.04-1.38) | 1.22 (1.05-1.41) | 1.20 (1.04-1.40) |
| 4 (6.8-8.8 servings/day) | 429 | 86 273 | 1.20 (1.04-1.39) | 1.23 (1.06-1.44) | 1.22 (1.04-1.42) |
| 5 (>8.8 servings/day) | 526 | 86 101 | 1.49 (1.30-1.71) | 1.52 (1.30-1.79) | 1.49 (1.26-1.76) |
| P value for trende | NA | NA | <.001 | <.001 | <.001 |
| Broad definition of depression f | |||||
| 1 (<4 servings/day) | 351 | 86 100 | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] | 1 [Reference] |
| 2 (4-5.3 servings/day) | 397 | 86 623 | 1.05 (0.96-1.15) | 1.06 (0.96-1.17) | 1.06 (0.96-1.16) |
| 3 (5.3-6.8 servings/day) | 419 | 85 495 | 1.14 (1.04-1.25) | 1.15 (1.05-1.27) | 1.14 (1.04-1.26) |
| 4 (6.8-8.8 servings/day) | 429 | 86 273 | 1.17 (1.07-1.28) | 1.20 (1.08-1.32) | 1.18 (1.07-1.31) |
| 5 (>8.8 servings/day) | 526 | 86 101 | 1.34 (1.22-1.46) | 1.37 (1.23-1.52) | 1.34 (1.20-1.50) |
| P value for trende | NA | NA | <.001 | <.001 | <.001 |
Abbreviations: HR, hazard ratio; NA, not applicable.
Adjusted for age.
Additionally adjusted for body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), physical activity, smoking status, menopausal hormone therapy, total caloric intake, alcohol intake, comorbidities (history of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia), median family income, social network levels, marital status, sleep duration, and pain.
Additionally adjusted for overall diet quality (defined by prudent diet pattern score).
Depression diagnosis by clinician and use of antidepressants.
Tests for linear trend (P value trend) were performed using the median value of each quintile of ultraprocessed foods consumption as a continuous variable in the regression model.
Depression diagnosis by clinician and/or use of antidepressants.