Intake of Coffee Associated With Decreased Depressive Symptoms Among Elderly Japanese Women: A Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study.

Yasumi Kimura,Satomi Kobayashi,Hitomi Suga,Satoshi Sasaki

doi:10.2188/jea.je20190010

Yasumi Kimura, Satomi Kobayashi + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.2188/jea.je20190010

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Abstract

BackgroundDepression in elderly people is a major global concern around the world. Epidemiological evidence of the association of beverages with depressive symptoms has received research attention; however, epidemiological studies on the association of coffee and green tea consumption with depressive symptoms among the elderly population are limited. The objective of this study is to cross-sectionally examine the association of depressive symptoms with the intake of coffee, green tea, and caffeine and to verify the antidepressant effect of caffeine.MethodsThe subjects were 1,992 women aged 65–94 years. Intakes of coffee, green tea, and caffeine, as well as depressive symptoms, were assessed with a validated brief dietary history questionnaire (BDHQ) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for depressive symptoms with adjustments for potential confounders.ResultsCoffee intake was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms, the ORs of which for the 4th versus the 1st quartiles of intake was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.46–0.88, P for trend = 0.01) in a fully adjusted model. Caffeine intake was marginally associated with depressive symptoms, but the association was not statistically significant (OR 0.75; 95% CI, 0.55–1.02, P for trend = 0.058).ConclusionThe result suggests that the inverse association of coffee intake with depressive symptoms might be associated with not only caffeine intake but also some other substances in coffee or factors related to coffee intake. Because of the cross-sectional design of the present study, longitudinal studies are required to confirm the present finding.

Highlights

Depression is an important public health concern, and late-life depression is associated with increased mortality.[1]
We aimed to investigate the association of coffee, green tea, and caffeine on depressive symptoms in a large-scale study among elderly women
Participants who consumed more coffee were younger and more likely to be physically active, current smokers, and current alcohol drinkers, and more likely to use dietary supplement. Those with higher coffee intake tended to show a higher intake of caffeine and lower intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)+docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and folate

Summary

Introduction

Depression is an important public health concern, and late-life depression is associated with increased mortality.[1]. Epidemiological evidence of the association of beverages with depressive symptoms has received research attention; epidemiological studies on the association of coffee and green tea with depressive symptoms in the elderly population are limited. Several studies have shown that higher amounts of green tea are related to a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms[4,8,10] or psychological distress,[18] whereas green tea was not associated with mental health.[19] Previous studies have reported significant inverse associations between green tea intake and depressive symptoms in a Japanese working population[8] and among Japanese community-dwelling elderly subjects.[4]. Epidemiological evidence of the association of beverages with depressive symptoms has received research attention; epidemiological studies on the association of coffee and green tea consumption with depressive symptoms among the elderly population are limited. The objective of this study is to cross-sectionally examine the association of depressive symptoms with the intake of coffee, green tea, and caffeine and to verify the antidepressant effect of caffeine

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