Healthy plant-based diet adherence was associated with lower depression risk
Follow-up studies linked stronger adherence to healthy plant-based diets with lower depression risk. The review describes associations and cannot establish that diet caused the difference.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
In adult observational studies, greater adherence to healthy plant-based diets was associated with lower depression risk during follow-up and better mental and cognitive outcomes more broadly. Unhealthy plant-based patterns were linked to greater likelihood of anxiety and depression. The results cannot establish that changing diet would prevent or treat these conditions.
Abstract-only access leaves diet definitions, follow-up lengths and handling of other influences unclear. Observational associations do not demonstrate that changing diet would change mental or cognitive outcomes.
What researchers found
Depression in cohort studies
Highest versus lowest healthy plant-based diet adherence: the higher-adherence group had 0.77 times the comparator group's depression risk (95% CI, 0.67-0.88). Follow-up lengths and absolute risk differences were not reported.
What the study designs establish
The review combined studies examining diet and outcomes at the same time with studies following outcomes over time. Both designs supplied observational associations, which cannot establish that diet caused the differences.
Why diet quality matters here
Healthy and unhealthy plant-based patterns had associations pointing in different directions. This makes diet quality central to interpreting the review, although the abstract does not explain how those categories were defined.
The original publication
Plant-Based Diets and Mental and Neurocognitive Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.
Bizzozero-Peroni B, Díaz-Goñi V, Fernández-Rodríguez R et al.
Nutr Rev · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40720633
- Record checked
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