Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016

IntroductionAlthough previous researches have suggested that certain dietary nutrients, such as carotenoids, have an effect on depression, epidemiological evidence on the relationship between lycopene and depression remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary lyc...

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Main Authors: Xiaosong Li, Yuru Lan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Nutrition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1538396/full
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author Xiaosong Li
Yuru Lan
author_facet Xiaosong Li
Yuru Lan
author_sort Xiaosong Li
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionAlthough previous researches have suggested that certain dietary nutrients, such as carotenoids, have an effect on depression, epidemiological evidence on the relationship between lycopene and depression remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary lycopene intake and depression risk in American adults.MethodsData from 18,664 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2007–2016) were analyzed, with depression defined by a nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10. Dietary lycopene intake was estimated from the mean of two 24-h dietary recalls. Binary logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were employed to assess the relationship.ResultsDepression prevalence was 8.98%, and adjusted analyses indicated that higher dietary lycopene intake was significantly associated with a reduced depression risk compared to the lowest quartile (ORs for the second, third, and fourth quartiles: 0.851 [95% CI, 0.737–0.982], 0.829 [95% CI, 0.716–0.960], and 0.807 [95% CI, 0.695–0.938], respectively). Additionally, a U-shaped relationship was observed, with a reduction in depression risk associated with dietary lycopene intake ranging from 0 to 10,072 μg/d (P-non-linear = 0.017).DiscussionThis study suggested that higher dietary lycopene intake may confer a protective effect against depression in American adults.
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spelling doaj-art-b3b2bc2d008d47e2a611e5434fa851c82025-08-20T02:16:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2025-04-011210.3389/fnut.2025.15383961538396Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016Xiaosong Li0Yuru Lan1School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, ChinaDivision of Oncology, Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, ChinaIntroductionAlthough previous researches have suggested that certain dietary nutrients, such as carotenoids, have an effect on depression, epidemiological evidence on the relationship between lycopene and depression remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary lycopene intake and depression risk in American adults.MethodsData from 18,664 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2007–2016) were analyzed, with depression defined by a nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10. Dietary lycopene intake was estimated from the mean of two 24-h dietary recalls. Binary logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were employed to assess the relationship.ResultsDepression prevalence was 8.98%, and adjusted analyses indicated that higher dietary lycopene intake was significantly associated with a reduced depression risk compared to the lowest quartile (ORs for the second, third, and fourth quartiles: 0.851 [95% CI, 0.737–0.982], 0.829 [95% CI, 0.716–0.960], and 0.807 [95% CI, 0.695–0.938], respectively). Additionally, a U-shaped relationship was observed, with a reduction in depression risk associated with dietary lycopene intake ranging from 0 to 10,072 μg/d (P-non-linear = 0.017).DiscussionThis study suggested that higher dietary lycopene intake may confer a protective effect against depression in American adults.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1538396/fulldietary lycopene intakedepressionNHANESdietlifestyle
spellingShingle Xiaosong Li
Yuru Lan
Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016
Frontiers in Nutrition
dietary lycopene intake
depression
NHANES
diet
lifestyle
title Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016
title_full Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016
title_fullStr Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016
title_full_unstemmed Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016
title_short Association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among American adults: evidence from NHANES 2007–2016
title_sort association between higher dietary lycopene intake and reduced depression risk among american adults evidence from nhanes 2007 2016
topic dietary lycopene intake
depression
NHANES
diet
lifestyle
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1538396/full
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AT yurulan associationbetweenhigherdietarylycopeneintakeandreduceddepressionriskamongamericanadultsevidencefromnhanes20072016