Nutrient Intake and Depression Symptoms in Spanish Children: The ANIVA Study

Nuria Rubio-López, María Morales-Suárez-Varela, Yolanda Pico, Lorenzo Livianos-Aldana and Agustín Llopis-González
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Nuria Rubio-López: Unit of Public Health, Hygiene and Environmental Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Legal Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia 46100, Spain
María Morales-Suárez-Varela: Unit of Public Health, Hygiene and Environmental Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Legal Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia 46100, Spain
Yolanda Pico: Biomedical Research Center Network on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid 28029, Spain
Lorenzo Livianos-Aldana: Biomedical Research Center Network on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid 28029, Spain
Agustín Llopis-González: Unit of Public Health, Hygiene and Environmental Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Science, Toxicology and Legal Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia 46100, Spain

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between nutritional intake and depressive symptoms in Valencian schoolchildren. The ANIVA ( Antropometria y Nutricion Infantil de Valencia ) study is a descriptive cross-sectional study. During academic year 2013–2014, 710 schoolchildren aged 6–9 years were selected from eleven primary schools in Valencia (Spain). Children’s dietary intake was measured on three-day food records, completed by parents/guardians; children completed the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) Questionnaire to measure depressive symptoms. Weight, height, and body mass index (BMI), and z-scores were evaluated in all subjects. Nutrient adequacy was assessed using Spanish dietary recommended intakes (DRIs); 20.70% of the sample presented depressive symptoms. We identified a positive association between children with depressive symptoms and non-depressive symptoms for thiamin, vitamin K, and bromine ( p < 0.05), and a negative association for protein, carbohydrates, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B 12 and E, zinc, manganese, cobalt, and aluminum ( p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were found between both groups according to the DRIs for intakes of total energy ( p = 0.026), fiber ( p < 0.001), vitamin C ( p < 0.001), vitamin E ( p = 0.004), magnesium ( p = 0.018), and iron ( p = 0.013). Our results demonstrated that carbohydrates were the most closely associated factor with depressive symptoms, and highlight the potential significant public health implications of inadequate nutritional intake on schoolchildren’s mental health.

Keywords: nutrients intake; nutritional intake; nutrition; depressive symptoms; carbohydrates; children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:3:p:352-:d:66260

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