Eating Fruit Linked to Reduced Risk of Depression
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." This is an old saying that has been used for more than 100 years to encourage people to eat apples.
We know that fruits can help to keep our bodies healthy. But according to a new study, eating fruit in middle age could also help to reduce the chances of developing depression later in life.
Researchers from China and Singapore wanted to find out more about whether eating fruits and vegetables could have an impact on our mental health.
They looked at more than 13,700 Chinese adults who were living in Singapore.
The study period began between 1993 and 1998 when the participants were aged between 45 and 74. Everyone was asked about the fruits and vegetables they liked to eat.
Fourteen fruits and 25 types of vegetables were included in the questionnaire.
Participants were followed for an average of almost 20 years. By this time they were aged between 61 and 96.
They were asked to complete a questionnaire that assesses depression in older people.
At the end of the study period, almost 3,200 people had depressive symptoms.
The researchers found that higher consumption of fruits during middle age was associated with a lower likelihood of developing depressive symptoms in late life.
Those who ate the most fruit were 29% less likely to develop depression compared to those who ate the least.
However, they didn't find any association between consumption of vegetables and depressive symptoms.
It was suggested that the reason for this may be that fruits are usually eaten raw, while vegetables are often cooked.
Cooking vegetables might limit the "protective effects" of the nutrients in the foods, the researchers suggested, although they said more research was needed.
All types of fruit were found to have an effect, but especially oranges, tangerines, bananas, papayas and watermelon.
So perhaps a papaya a day can keep the doctor away, too!
