Abstract
BackgroundLongitudinal studies assessing the long-term association between alcohol intake and depression are scarce. The type of beverage may also be important. Therefore we aimed to prospectively evaluate the influence of alcohol intake on incident depression in a Mediterranean cohort.MethodsWe assessed 13,619 university graduates (mean age: 38 years, 42% men) participating in a Spanish prospective epidemiological cohort (the SUN Project), initially free of depression. They were recruited between 1999–2008 and biennially followed-up during 2001–2010. At baseline, a 136-item validated food–frequency questionnaire was used to assess alcohol intake. Wine was the preferred beverage. Participants were classified as incident cases of depression if they reported a new clinical diagnosis of depression by a physician and/or initiated the use of antidepressant drugs. Cox regression and restricted cubic splines analyses were performed over 82,926 person-years.ResultsOnly among women, an U-shaped relationship between total alcohol intake and depression risk was found (P=0.01). Moderate alcohol intake (5–15 g/day) was associated with lower risk (Hazard Ratio: 0.62; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.43-0.89). No association was apparent for higher intakes of alcohol or for any specific type of alcoholic beverage.ConclusionsModerate alcohol intake might protect against depression among women. Further confirmatory studies are needed.
Highlights
Longitudinal studies assessing the long-term association between alcohol intake and depression are scarce
A total of 459 incident cases of depression were identified during the follow-up period, which summed up 82,926 person-years
Stratified analysis showed no association between alcohol intake and incident depression (Table 2)
Summary
Longitudinal studies assessing the long-term association between alcohol intake and depression are scarce. We aimed to prospectively evaluate the influence of alcohol intake on incident depression in a Mediterranean cohort. Unipolar depressive disorder is the most prevalent mental disease in the world and it is increasing steadily [1]. The prevalence of major depression may reach up to 21% in some populations [2]. Depression is the third leading cause of global disease burden measured in Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), and the first one measured in Years Lost to Disability [3]. Depression will become the first leading cause of global disease burden (DALYs) in 2030 [3]. 10 years follow-up in a Mediterranean cohort, where red wine was the most consumed alcoholic beverage 2.25 million deaths per year in the world may be attributed to alcohol intake, even after subtracting the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol intake on the development
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