Applied nutritional investigationDietary vitamin D intake and prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Japan

- The prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy was 19.3% in Japan. Vitamin D intake was inversely related to depressive symptoms during pregnancy. The adjusted odds ratio in the highest quartile was 0.52 (95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.89). The inverse linear trend was significant (P for trend = 0.02).

ObjectiveAlthough the relationship between vitamin D levels and depressive symptoms has been explored, the results are inconsistent. Epidemiologic evidence concerning the relationship between dietary vitamin D intake and depressive symptoms in pregnancy is nonexistent. The aim of this current cross-sectional study was to examine this issue in Japan.MethodsThe study included 1745 pregnant women. Depressive symptoms were defined as present when women had a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score of 16 or higher. Dietary intake during the preceding month was assessed using a self-administered diet history questionnaire. Adjustment was made for age, gestation, region of residence, number of children, family structure, history of depression, family history of depression, smoking, secondhand smoke exposure at home and at work, job type, household income, education, body mass index, intake of saturated fatty acids, and intake of eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy was 19.3%. Higher dietary vitamin D intake was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy, independent of potential dietary and nondietary confounding factors. Multivariate odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for depressive symptoms during pregnancy in the first, second, third, and fourth quartiles of assessed intake of vitamin D were 1 (reference), 0.79 (0.55-1.11), 0.73 (0.49-1.07), and 0.52 (0.30-0.89), respectively (P for trend = 0.02).ConclusionThe current cross-sectional study in Japan suggests that higher vitamin D intake may be associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy.