A Dual Evaluation of Dietary Habits and Depression Severity Among Patients Using HAM-D at S.M.M.H Medical College Saharanpur U.P
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/ajpr.v28i5.337Keywords:
Depression, Dietary Habits, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Nutrition, cross-sectional study.Abstract
Background: -Depression is a growing global health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like India. Despite increasing interest in nutritional psychiatry, there is limited research exploring the relationship between dietary habits and depression severity in semi-urban and rural Indian populations.
Aim: -This study aimed to assess the dietary patterns of psychiatric outpatients and analyse their association with the severity of depression, as measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), at S.M.M.H. Medical College, Saharanpur.
Methods: -A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 162 adult patients attending the psychiatry outpatient department. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using structured interviews, a dietary questionnaire, and the HAM-D scale.
Results: -More than half of the participants (54.32%) exhibited moderate depression. Healthier dietary behaviours, especially higher frequency of fruit intake and less meal skipping, were associated with lower HAM-D scores. Among the dietary factors analysed, only fruit intake frequency and meal skipping showed statistically significant associations with depression severity.
Conclusion: -The findings suggest that certain dietary habits, particularly regular fruit consumption and consistent meal patterns, may be linked to lower depression severity. These results highlight the importance of integrating nutritional counselling into mental health care. Further longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the causal pathways and to inform public health interventions.
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