Seafood and Depression

Seafood and Depression

There have been studies that conclude that there is some relationship between food intake and mental health. The stress you endure, and how you deal with it differs in many ways. There is evidence that the more seafood college students eat the lower level of depression they experience.

Researchers have two different inventories for depression. The Beck Depression Inventory is a leading depression inventory, and the new inventory is the Wilsonson's Depression Scale (Wilsonson, Gofendorfer, & Brazleton, 2002). The results of both tests were identical. The Wilsonson Depression Scale proved to be more simple to administer and faster to complete and score (Wilsonson et al., 2002).

This study, as well as others (Arbor, Dolfin, & Pecanhead, 2003; Black, Marsh, Roberts, Kickerback, Duey, Freeberslager, Williamsonson, & Friday, 2004; Smith & Hold, 2004; Thompson, 2004; Wilsonson, Gofendorfer, & Brazleton, 2002) have shown that when seafood intake is high your depression level is lower. One study examined the relationship between eating different foods to include seafood and depression (Arbor, Dolfin, & Pecanhead, 2003). In this particular study, the groups took the Wilsonson's Depression Scale before and after the participants divided into three groups and put on one of three very strict diets. Results of the study showed a significant difference in the levels of depression after being on the diet.

A different study, (Black, Marsh, Roberts, Kickerback, Duey, Freeberslager, Williamsonson, & Friday, 2004) examined elderly people and gave them tests on personality, depression, and kept a journal of food intake for over three weeks. The Black (2004) study broke into two groups. One group said that they ate seafood at least six times a week and the other group only three or fewer a week.

The Smith and Hold (2004) study was made up of 1000 elderly people living in the South. All the participants took personality tests and depression scales and kept food journals for six weeks. After the six-week study, the researchers cross-referenced the journals, personality tests, and depression scales.

The Thompson study (2004) is a little different from the others. In this particular study, a group of teenage couples in the Central United States was given Beck's Depression Inventory in 1985, 1992, and again in 2004. After the test, all the couples moved to the Gulf Coast and a mass marriage took place, and they lived in homes exactly alike. The men became anglers and women learned to be chefs. The couples could not prepare or consume anything that was not seafood during the entire study. All the couples had identical homes, incomes, and cable service. All the couples had to redo the depression inventory in 1992, and in 2004.

There is a text that verifies all of this information these studies have concluded. The Smith and Hold (2004) text is said to be the best source of information on food intake, and emotions. The text bases its explanations and treatments on the theory that the food we consume effects our emotions. Theories mention in the text that it is important to eat a well balanced diet to include seafood at least six times per week. This text, like the studies, said the more seafood consumed the lower levels of depression people would have and above average well-being.

All of these studies have found that your diet affects your feelings and mental state. This research is to prove for a relative fact that the more seafood college students consume the less depressed and unhappy they will be.

Method

Participants

One-hundred undergraduate students enrolled in classes at Northwestern State University, and all are Psychology majors in their first year of study participated in this study. The study had an equal number of men and women. The participants varied in race with the majority being European-American (N=50), Hispanic-Americans (N=28), and African-Americans (N=22). Participants ranged in age from 17-20 years old.

Materials

This study used the Wilsonson's Depression Scale for pre- and post test measurements of depression (Wilsonson, 2002). The Wilsonson scale is ten questions that consist of true or false assessments of depression (Wilsonson, 2002). Participants earn one point for every Ð''True' response. The total scores range from 0 (No Depression Symptoms) to 10 (Severe Depression). The second questionnaire was the Beck Depression Inventory. A study used this questionnaire three times, once in 1985, 1992, and 2004 recording each result separately. The total scores range 1 (Worst Ever) to 10 (Symptom Free, No Problems).

Procedure

One-hundred undergraduate students agreed to participate in this survey. Participants knew before hand that their completion of the experiment would earn them 5 bonus points in their Psyc 2430 Intro to Experimental Psychology course. After informed consent, the Wilsonson's Depression Scale would take place in a large, well-lit classroom on the first floor of Bienvennue Hall on NSU campus to all one-hundred participants. For the pre-test, the average score is equal to 5 for both groups. After the pre-test, for experimental purposes, the participants separated into two equal size groups. One group (treatment group) eats a well-rounded, balanced diet that includes seafood 7 times per week. The other group (control group) eats a well-rounded, balanced diet that excludes seafood. All the variables are constant for six weeks with the exception of treatment (i.e. diet). After the six-week period, all participants took the Wilsonson's Depression Scale a second time. When the post-test was completed, the scores were not the same.

Scoring

The studies will be scored by using the Wilsonson Depression Scale (Wilsonson, 2002). The highest score possible was a 10 and the lowest score was a 0. The scores falling between 0-3 suggest little to no signs of depression, 4-6 indicates a moderate level of depression consistent with a normal reaction to stressful life conditions, and 7-10 suggests severe depression.

Results and Discussion

An analysis of the research reveals that there is a relationship between depression and eating seafood. The following tables will show the results of each study.

Seafood Study

Diet Result

Seafood diet (treatment group) 0 (No depression symptoms)

Non-seafood diet (control group) 5