A new Japanese study suggests that eating more oily fish like sardines, salmon and yellowtail could help teenage boys feel less depressed.
However, the same does not apply for teenage girls.
Omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA and DHA, are found predominantly in oily fish. Many researchers have wondered whether increased consumption of these foods could lower the risk of depression. However, studies performed among young adults have yielded inconclusive results.
Investigators had yet to look for the potential link in youth, which is an age group prone to the debilitating problem. However, Kentaro Murakami of the University of Tokyo and colleagues analyzed the diets and rates of depression in over 6,500 Japanese junior high school students between the ages of 12 and 15.
They reported in the journal Pediatrics that overall, 23 percent of the boys and 31 percent of the girls suffered from symptoms of depression, including feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and sleep disturbances.
The investigators found that boys who ate the most fish had 27 percent lower odds of being depressed compared to those ranked in the bottom 5th.
Similar differences were seen when specifically looking at the EPA and DHA content of the fish consumed.
Meanwhile, the fish oil had no effect among the girls that took part in the study.
The researchers said that the effect of fish oil between girls and boys is difficult to explain, although they point to a few possibilities such as a stronger genetic role for depression in women compared to men.
The investigators also said their findings do not provide enough evidence to determine if fish oil actually lowers the risk of feel blue. For example, it might be that those who are depressed just eat less fish.
The researchers concluded that in boosting the intake of fish, EPA and DHA “may be an important strategy for the prevention of depression.”
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