A MEDITERRANEAN DIET
(MED) VS A LOW FAT (LF) DIET IMPROVES DEPRESSION INDEPENDENT OF CHOLESTEROL IN
CORONARY HEART DISEASE PATIENTS(CHD). J Weyers*,
D Colquhoun for the OLIVE Study Group. Core Research
Group, Wesley Medical Centre, Brisbane, Australia. A low saturated fat diet (LF) has failed to
improve CHD outcomes in most randomised trials. LF may impact mood. Depression
worsens the prognosis of patients with CHD independent of biological risk
factors. CHD mortality for depression RR varies 1.94 to 3.5 over two years. Objective: To compare the effect of a low fat diet to a
Mediterranean diet on depression and cholesterol levels in patients with CHD. Method:
This is a randomised diet study of patients with CHD documented by coronary
angiography. 64 patients were randomised to either a low fat (NCEP-Step II) or
a high fat Mediterranean (>35% E, 50% MUFA). Patients were assessed for
depressive symptoms at baseline and at three-month using the Beck Depression
Inventory (BDI-II). Results:
Depression at baseline and 3 months was 33% and 20% (p = .603) for LF. For MED
32% and 5% (p < .01). Mean BDI at baseline and 3 months was 7.6 and 6.6 for
LF (p = .343) and 7.8 and 4.6 for MED (p < .02). A 13% and 46% decrease
respectively. Mean cholesterol at baseline for LF and MED are 4.57 mmol/L and
4.44 mmol/L with no change at 3 months. Conclusions:
A MED but not a LF diet improves depression independent of cholesterol levels.
