A healthy lifestyle involving moderate alcohol consumption, a healthy diet, regular physical activity, healthy sleep and frequent social connection, while avoiding smoking and too much sedentary behaviour, reduces the risk of depression, new research has found.
A recent research published in Nature Mental Health underscores this. This comprehensive study, led by an international team of researchers, including those from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University, delves into the intricate connections between lifestyle choices, genetics, brain structure, and our immune and metabolic systems to explain why a healthy lifestyle is a potent tool in depression prevention.
Depression poses a substantial public health burden, affecting approximately one in 20 adults globally, according to the World Health Organization. This condition is influenced by a complex interplay of biological and lifestyle factors.
To gain deeper insights into this relationship, the researchers turned to the UK Biobank, a comprehensive biomedical database containing anonymized genetic, lifestyle, and health data from participants.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FACTORS
By analyzing data from nearly 290,000 individuals, including 13,000 with depression , over a nine-year period, the team identified seven key healthy lifestyle factors associated with a reduced risk of depression:
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Healthy diet
- Regular physical activity
- Healthy sleep
- Non-smoking
- Limited sedentary behaviour
- Frequent social connection
Among these factors, quality sleep, falling within the range of seven to nine hours per night, demonstrated the most significant impact, lowering the risk of depression by 22%. Frequent social connection was particularly protective against recurrent depressive disorder, reducing the risk by 18%. Moderate alcohol consumption reduced the risk by 11%, a healthy diet by 6% and regular physical activity by 14% and non-smoking by 20% and limited sedentary behaviour by 13%.
THE GROUPS
Based on the number of healthy lifestyle factors adopted, individuals were categorized into three groups: unfavourable, intermediate, and favourable lifestyle. Those in the intermediate group were 41% less likely to develop depression compared to those in the unfavourable lifestyle group, while those in the favourable lifestyle group were 57% less likely.
To provide a comprehensive understanding, the team also examined participants’ DNA and assigned each individual a genetic risk score. While a lower genetic risk score decreased the risk of depression by 25%, the impact of a healthy lifestyle proved more substantial than genetic predisposition.
RISK OF DEPRESSION
Remarkably, regardless of genetic risk, a healthy lifestyle was found to reduce the risk of depression. This emphasizes the paramount importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle as a preventive measure.
Professor Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge highlighted, “Although our DNA – the genetic hand we’ve been dealt – can increase our risk of depression, we’ve shown that a healthy lifestyle is potentially more important.” Lifestyle factors are largely within our control, making efforts to improve them, such as ensuring quality sleep and nurturing social connections, meaningful in enhancing mental well-being.
To investigate the mechanisms behind the protective effects of a healthy lifestyle, the team examined MRI brain scans from over 33,000 participants. They identified specific brain regions where a larger volume was associated with a healthy lifestyle, including the pallidum, thalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus.
IMMUNE SYSTEM AND METABOLISM
Additionally, the researchers studied blood markers related to the immune system and metabolism. Notable markers included C-reactive protein, linked to stress response, and triglycerides, a primary form of fat storage. These markers suggested that a healthier living positively influences immune and metabolic functions, consequently reducing the risk of depression.
In conclusion, this study reinforces the significance of adopting a healthy living in preventing depression, regardless of an individual’s genetic predisposition. It underscores the importance of not only physical health but also mental well-being, with benefits extending to brain health, cognition, immune system, and metabolism.
Professor Jianfeng Feng from Fudan University and Warwick University emphasized the need to educate young people about the importance of a healthy living and its profound impact on mental health, particularly during adolescence and young adulthood.
