Eating more fruit earlier in life reduces risk for depression, study finds

The global population is aging rapidly, leading to an increased prevalence of late-life depressive symptoms among older adults. These symptoms can include feelings of depression, lack of pleasure, delayed cognitive processing, and reduced activity, often accompanied by loss of appetite, insomnia, poor concentration, and increased fatigue. These symptoms are often linked to neurodegenerative changes in the brain associated with aging.

The need to keep older adults in good health has driven extensive research into approaches to prevent late-life depression. Emerging evidence suggests dietary factors may play a role in protecting against depression as we age. Could specific foods consumed earlier in life impact mental well-being later on?

A longitudinal study by the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) examined this question. Researchers tracked 13,738 participants from the Singapore Chinese Health Study over approximately 20 years, from mid-life to later life. They found that those who consumed higher quantities of fruits earlier in life were less likely to experience depressive symptoms later on.

The study analyzed 14 commonly consumed fruits in Singapore, including oranges, tangerines, bananas, papayas, watermelons, apples, and honey melon. It found that most fruits were associated with a reduced likelihood of depression. This association may be due to the high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients in fruits—such as vitamin C, carotenoids, and flavonoids—which help reduce oxidative stress and inhibit inflammatory processes that can contribute to depression.

Interestingly, vegetable consumption showed no association with depressive symptoms. These findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, highlight the potential benefits of consuming sufficient fruits to mitigate depressive symptoms in later life.

Professor Koh Woon Puay, from the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at NUS Medicine and Principal Investigator of the study, emphasized, “Our study underscores the importance of fruit consumption as a preventive measure against ageing-related depression.

In our study population, participants who had at least three servings of fruits a day, compared to those with less than one serving a day, reduced the likelihood of ageing-related depression significantly by at least 21%. This can be achieved by eating one to two servings of fruits after every meal.

We did not see any difference in our results between fruits with high and low glycemic index. Hence, for those with diabetes, they can choose fruits with a low glycemic index that will not raise blood sugars as much as those with a high index.”

At the study's initial stage, from 1993 to 1998, participants averaged 51 years old and completed a structured questionnaire on their daily consumption of 14 fruits and 25 vegetables. From 2014 to 2016, when participants averaged 73 years old, depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale.

Of the participants, 3,180 (23.1%) reported five or more symptoms and were considered to have depression. After adjusting for factors such as medical history, smoking status, physical activity level, sleep duration, and aging-related factors, the team found that higher fruit consumption was associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms, while vegetable consumption was not.

Prof Koh explained, “Our study aimed to examine the relationship of mid-life consumption of fruits and vegetables with the risk of depressive symptoms in late life. Although other studies have also examined the associations of fruits and vegetables with the risk of depression, there are inconsistencies in the results, and many of them were done in Western populations. To our best knowledge, ours is the largest population-based study in an Asian population to study this association.”

These findings suggest that promoting fruit consumption in mid adulthood, typically defined as ages 40 to 65 years, could provide long-term benefits for mental well-being in later life, beyond 65 years. The study’s results have significant implications for public health education and initiatives to make fruits more accessible to the general population.

Following this study, the research team plans to investigate the association of other modifiable behavioral factors, such as sleep duration, smoking, and other dietary factors, with the mental health of older adults.

Several studies have also shown that certain foods can help lower depression in older adults. These foods are typically rich in nutrients that support brain health and overall well-being. Here are some foods that have been associated with reduced depression:

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