Depression mediates the links between climacteric symptoms and food and nutritional insecurity

Abstract

Objective

This study is perhaps the first to evaluate the influence of depression on the relationship between climacteric symptoms and food and nutritional insecurity (FNI).

Methods

In this cross-sectional study with a relatively large sample of climacteric women (N = 400), sociodemographic and clinical variables were investigated. We measured FNI, depression and climacteric symptoms with psychometrically sound instruments, namely the Brazilian Food Security Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and the Kupperman Index, respectively.

Results

Statistically significant differences were observed in the means of FNI according to education, income, marital status, history of depression, use of antidepressants and current depression. Furthermore, depression had strong indirect effects on the relationship between climacteric symptoms and FNI.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that targeting depression could benefit climacteric women, especially those with severe symptoms and in FNI.

摘要

目的：本研究可能是首次评估抑郁症对更年期症状与食物和营养不安全感（FNI）之间关系的影响。

方法：在这项横断面研究中, 选取了相对较大样本的更年期女性（N=400）, 对社会人口学和临床变量进行了调查。我们采用心理测量学的合理工具, 即巴西食品安全量表、流行病学研究中心抑郁量表和Kupperman评分, 分别评估了FNI、抑郁和更年期症状。

结果：不同文化程度、经济收入、婚姻状况、抑郁史、抗抑郁药使用情况和目前抑郁状况的患者在FNI方面差异有统计学意义。此外, 抑郁症对更年期症状与FNI之间的关系有很强的间接作用。

结论：我们的研究表明, 针对抑郁症的治疗可能会使有更年期症状的女性受益, 特别是那些症状严重和FNI的女性。

Keywords:

• Depressive disorder
• menopause
• food supply
• food deprivation

Potential conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest in the current investigation.

Source of funding

This work has been developed with the authors’ own funding.