Ready-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Depressive disorders are a contemporary global public health problem and amongst the leading causes of disability worldwide. Ready-to-eat foods require minimal preparation time and are designed to maximize consumer convenience while minimizing consumer efforts. Nutritional proper...
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2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22930-x |
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| author | Maximilian Andreas Storz |
| author_facet | Maximilian Andreas Storz |
| author_sort | Maximilian Andreas Storz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Depressive disorders are a contemporary global public health problem and amongst the leading causes of disability worldwide. Ready-to-eat foods require minimal preparation time and are designed to maximize consumer convenience while minimizing consumer efforts. Nutritional properties of ready-to-eat foods, such as their high saturated fat and sodium content, have been linked to depression. Studies from the United States (US) of America investigating the association between ready-to-eat food intake frequency and depression are scarce, although North America is currently the largest ready-to-eat food market. Methods Using crude and multivariate logistic regression models, this study explored potential associations between self-reported ready-to-eat food intake frequency and PHQ-9-based depression in US adults aged 20 years or older based on data from the cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2018). Depression was assessed with the PHQ-9 questionnaire, a validated questionnaire and measure of reference in epidemiological depression research. Results Data from n = 8,689 participants was analyzed. Participants with PHQ-9-based depression tended to be female, never married or separated and were characterized by a lower annual household income. Crude and adjusted multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between ready-to-eat food intake frequency and depression. For each additional ready-to-eat food, the odds for PHQ-9-based depression increased by a factor of 1.014 (CI: 1.002–1.026; p = 0.022) after adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Compared to those who did not report any ready-to-eat foods, participants with an average intake frequency of ≥ 1 per day had a significantly higher likelihood of depression (OR: 2.02, CI: 1.18–3.43; p = 0.011) after adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Conclusions Ready-to-eat food intake frequency is associated with PHQ-9-based depression in the NHANES. Given the high popularity of ready-to-eat foods in the US, these findings have important public health nutrition implications, and warrant additional research and targeted interventions to promote healthier meals sold by food outlets. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-63b19747542e4caabcf59220e49aac06 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-63b19747542e4caabcf59220e49aac062025-08-20T03:53:46ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-05-0125111210.1186/s12889-025-22930-xReady-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional studyMaximilian Andreas Storz0Department of Internal Medicine II, Centre for Complementary Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineAbstract Background Depressive disorders are a contemporary global public health problem and amongst the leading causes of disability worldwide. Ready-to-eat foods require minimal preparation time and are designed to maximize consumer convenience while minimizing consumer efforts. Nutritional properties of ready-to-eat foods, such as their high saturated fat and sodium content, have been linked to depression. Studies from the United States (US) of America investigating the association between ready-to-eat food intake frequency and depression are scarce, although North America is currently the largest ready-to-eat food market. Methods Using crude and multivariate logistic regression models, this study explored potential associations between self-reported ready-to-eat food intake frequency and PHQ-9-based depression in US adults aged 20 years or older based on data from the cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2018). Depression was assessed with the PHQ-9 questionnaire, a validated questionnaire and measure of reference in epidemiological depression research. Results Data from n = 8,689 participants was analyzed. Participants with PHQ-9-based depression tended to be female, never married or separated and were characterized by a lower annual household income. Crude and adjusted multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between ready-to-eat food intake frequency and depression. For each additional ready-to-eat food, the odds for PHQ-9-based depression increased by a factor of 1.014 (CI: 1.002–1.026; p = 0.022) after adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Compared to those who did not report any ready-to-eat foods, participants with an average intake frequency of ≥ 1 per day had a significantly higher likelihood of depression (OR: 2.02, CI: 1.18–3.43; p = 0.011) after adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Conclusions Ready-to-eat food intake frequency is associated with PHQ-9-based depression in the NHANES. Given the high popularity of ready-to-eat foods in the US, these findings have important public health nutrition implications, and warrant additional research and targeted interventions to promote healthier meals sold by food outlets.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22930-xReady-to-eat foodsPHQ-9DepressionNHANESPublic healthNutritional neurosciences |
| spellingShingle | Maximilian Andreas Storz Ready-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study BMC Public Health Ready-to-eat foods PHQ-9 Depression NHANES Public health Nutritional neurosciences |
| title | Ready-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Ready-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Ready-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ready-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Ready-to-eat food intake associates with PHQ-9-based depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | ready to eat food intake associates with phq 9 based depression in us adults a cross sectional study |
| topic | Ready-to-eat foods PHQ-9 Depression NHANES Public health Nutritional neurosciences |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22930-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maximilianandreasstorz readytoeatfoodintakeassociateswithphq9baseddepressioninusadultsacrosssectionalstudy |