Regularly eating fruit during midlife can act as a “preventative measure” against ageing-related depression, latest research has revealed.
Academics from Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore found that boosting your fruit intake during midlife can stop you from experiencing depressive symptoms later in life.
These symptoms include depressed feelings, delayed cognitive processing, lack of pleasure and reduced volitional activity, as well as insomnia, poor concentration, increased fatigue and a loss of appetite.
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Nearly 14,000 adults took part in the study and were under analysis from midlife to later life, spanning approximately 20 years.
After examining 14 fruits often eaten in Singapore, the researchers discovered that older adults were less likely to experience depression if they had regularly consumed apples, papayas, tangerines, honey melon, oranges, bananas and watermelons when they were middle-aged.
Fruit contains a high level of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients which can decrease oxidative stress and inhibit inflammatory processes in the body that are associated with the development of depression.
A high intake of vegetables during midlife is not associated with depressive symptoms later in life, according to the results.
Lead author Professor Koh Woon Puay said: “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, were able to reduce the likelihood of ageing-related depression significantly by at least 21 per cent.”
Professor Woon Puay added: “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 glycaemic index.
“Hence, for those with diabetes, they can choose fruits with low glycaemic index that will not raise blood sugars as much as those with high index.”
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Each participant had to fill in a food survey to outline how often they consume fruit and vegetables.
“Our study aimed to examine the relationship of mid-life consumption of fruits and vegetables with the risk of depressive symptoms in late life,” said Professor Woon Puay.
She added: “Although our studies have also examined the associations of fruit and vegetables with 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.”
The study has been published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging.
