A Mediterranean diet intervention for young men with depression: patient experiences, challenges and benefits (the "AMMEND study") - A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Recent research has highlighted the beneficial effects of following a Mediterranean diet (MD) for depression. Unfortunately, adherence to specific diets presents many challenges and while previous research has aimed to understand these challenges, the focus has primarily been on weight-loss interventions in patients with obesity or cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to understand the experiences and challenges expressed by young men with clinical depression who completed a 12-week Mediterranean diet intervention. An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 36 young Australian men aged between 18 and 25 with diagnosed depression who participated in the Mediterranean Diet arm of the Mediterranean Diet for Men with Depression (AMMEND) study. Descriptive analyses were undertaken for each variable with results reported as percentages and frequencies. Positive aspects highlighted by participants included enjoying the taste of foods, being highly motivated to continue with the diet and a perceived benefit to their depressive symptoms. The main challenges included increased cost and time commitment, and the negative attitudes of their friends and family towards the diet. We recommend that the influence of friends and family attitudes towards the diet and the impact this has on following a Mediterranean diet in young men be explored further, as this posed a challenge for many of our participants. These results may assist clinicians when promoting a Mediterranean diet to this specific demographic.