Another Friday fish story for you. Yep, it would seem that having a diet rich in fish means you have less chance of suffering from depression.
They found that overall there was a significant inverse relationship between fish consumption and depression, and this was also true when men and women were considered separately. Interestingly, when they analysed it by region the relationship was only significant for the studies carried out in Europe.
The researchers suggest it could be the high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids or “the high quality protein, vitamins and minerals” also present in the fish. Another hypothesis was that high fish intake suggests a good diet in general and perhaps this is what wards off the depression.
Of course, things are not as simple as that. Certain fish contain a lot more omega 3 fatty acids than others and the way the fish is prepared could have a huge effect on whether it is considered “healthy” or not. So it would be nice to see a more controlled study to add to the debate.
But whatever the reason, I’ll be happily tucking into some fish for my dinner tonight.