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A study has revealed that maintaining healthy eating patterns and engaging in consistent exercise can lower the likelihood of developing depression by about 45%. Professor Min-Seon Park’s group from the Department of Family Medicine at Seoul National University Hospital shared their findings on how diet and physical activity affect depression in the most recent edition of the international journal *Nutrients*, published on the 9th. The research included 17,737 adults who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

The study team assessed the quality of participants’ meals and their weekly levels of physical activity, then looked at their scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to evaluate depressive symptoms. Participants were categorized into four groups: Group A (both meal quality and physical activity were inadequate), Group B (only meal quality was high), Group C (only physical activity was high), and Group D (both were high).

The findings indicated that 4.6% of participants displayed signs of depression. Participants in Group D had a 45% reduced likelihood of developing depression when compared to those in Group A. Conversely, the risk for Group C dropped by 26%, whereas Group B did not show any notable link.

Variations were noted according to gender and age. Women who followed both a nutritious diet and engaged in consistent exercise showed a 52% decrease in depressive symptoms. Adults aged 45 to 65 and those 65 years or older in Group D had a 58–59% lower risk. The researchers concluded that preserving muscle strength via physical activity is crucial for mental health in older adults. Nevertheless, no significant link was identified among those under 45 or in males.

Professor Park stated, “This research shows that integrating diet and exercise can greatly reduce the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms.” She further noted, “If national and local governments combine nutritional education programs with efforts to encourage physical activity, they may improve community mental well-being and realize lasting decreases in healthcare expenses.”

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