Depression is an important public health problem. The aim of the study is to explore the associations of total protein intake and protein sources with the risk of depressive symptoms. This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for the years 2007-2014. Dietary protein intake was obtained from two 24-h dietary recall interviews. Depressive symptoms were assessed by a nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline models were used to estimate the associations of total protein intake (g/kg per d) and protein sources with the risk of depressive symptoms. A total of 17 845 individuals aged 18 years and older were included in this study. Total protein intake was inversely associated with the risk of depressive symptoms. The full-adjusted OR of depressive symptoms was 0·34 (95 % CI 0·17, 0·68) for quartile (Q) 4 v. Q1 of total protein intake. For protein intake from milk and milk products, the association with depressive symptoms was significant both for Q2 v. Q1 (OR 0·61; 95 % CI 0·41, 0·93) and Q3 v. Q1 (OR 0·37; 95 % CI 0·24, 0·59) in the full-adjusted model. In the dose-response analysis, the shape of the associations of total protein intake and protein intake from milk and milk products with the risk of depressive symptoms was approximately L-shaped and U-shaped, respectively. The present study demonstrated that total protein intake and protein intake from milk and milk products might reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in US adults.
Keywords: Cross-sectional studies; Depressive symptoms; Dietary protein; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; Protein sources.