Journal Article

Environmental science and pollution research role of heavy metal concentrations and vitamin intake from food in depression: a national cross-sectional study (2009–2017)

Kim, Min-Sun, Oh, Hojin, Hoang, Ngoc Hong Minh, Nguyen, Hai Duc, Jo, Won Hee

2022

Overview

Little is known about associations between depression and serum heavy metal levels, dietary vitamin intakes. Thus, we sought to determine the nature of these associations and to predict risks of depression using marginal effects. A data set of 16,371 individuals aged ≥10 years that participated in Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) conducted from 2009 to 2017 (excluding 2014 and 2015) was used to obtain information on sociodemographics, family histories, lifestyles, serum heavy metal levels, food intakes, and depression. Serum cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) levels were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and mercury (Hg) levels using a mercury analyzer. Daily vitamin intakes were calculated by 24-h dietary recall. The results obtained showed that females are at higher risk of depression than males. A doubling of serum Cd was associated with a 21% increase in depression (AOR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.07–1.37, p = 0.002), whereas twofold increases in daily vitamin B1, B3 and vitamin A intakes reduced the risk of depression by 17% (0.83, 95% CI: 0.73–0.95, p = 0.005), 20% (0.80, 95% CI: 0.70–0.91, p = 0.001), and 8% (0.92, 95% CI: 0.85–0.99, p = 0.020), respectively. Interactions between heavy metals, vitamin intakes, and sex did not influence the risk of depression. The result shows that increased daily dietary vitamin intake might protect the public against depression. Further studies are needed to reduce the risks posed by heavy metals and to determine more comprehensively the effects of daily dietary vitamin intake on depression.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Aquatic Pollution / atomic absorption spectrometry / Atomic absorption spectroscopy / blood serum / Cadmium / Cross-Sectional Studies / data collection / Depression / diet recall / Dietary intake / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecotoxicology / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental Science / family / Female / Food / Food intake / Heavy metals / Humans / Korean Peninsula / Lead / Male / Mental depression / Mercury / Mercury (metal) / Metal concentrations / Metals, Heavy / nutrient intake / Nutrition / pollution / Pollution research / Pollution studies / Research Article / Risk / Risk reduction / sociodemographic characteristics / Spectral analysis / Spectrometry / thiamin / Vitamin A / Vitamins / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control