Depression: Prevention

To prevent depression, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.

Behavioral risk factors

  • Diet
    • Trans fatty acids – significantly increase the risk of developing depression.
    • Malnutrition and undernutrition
    • Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – see Prevention with micronutrients.
  • Consumption of stimulants
    • Alcohol (woman: > 40 g/day; man: > 60 g/day).
  • Drug use
    • Amphetamines (indirect sympathomimetic) and metamphetamines (“crystal meth”).
    • Cannabis (hashish and marijuana).
  • Psycho-social situation
    • Current stressful life events
    • Stress – Acute stress and life crises (chronic stress/continuous stress).
    • Bullying: teens who reported being regularly bullied by classmates were more likely to develop depression in early adulthood.
    • Lack of social support
    • Loneliness (in old age) – People over 50 who frequently felt lonely (without necessarily being so) were subsequently more likely to develop depression in a long-term study.
  • Low light at night while sleeping – brightness ≥ 5 lux during nighttime bedtime almost doubles the likelihood of developing depressive symptoms (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.89; 95% confidence interval between 1.13 and 3.14)
  • Disruption of circadian rhythm (disturbance of day-night rhythm), ie, increased activity during nocturnal rest periods and inactivity during the daytime
  • Overweight (BMI ≥ 25; obesity) – at a BMI body mass index/body mass index) > 30, the prevalence (disease frequency) of anxiety disorders and depression is twice as high
  • Underweight (BMI < 18.5) – U-shaped association between BMI and depressive symptoms has been demonstrated: most depressive symptoms were found in underweight adults, followed by obese and severely obese patients

Environmental exposure – intoxications (poisonings).

  • Regions with particularly poor air quality

Prevention factors (protective factors)

  • DASH diet (increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and foods rich in saturated fat and sugar replaced with fat-free or low-fat dairy products): Participants in the top third of a DASH diet were 11 percent less likely to develop depression than those in the bottom third.
  • Tea consumption
  • Sleep hygiene
  • Strengthening social activities, stabilization of social relationships and social support.
  • Physical activity in childhood reduces the risk of childhood depressive moods.