Prevalência de depressão e sua associação com consumo alimentar em adolescentes brasileiros : análise da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde 2019

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of depression and its association with food consumption in Brazilian adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional study, using data from adolescents (15 to 19 years of age; N= 4.336) from the National Health Survey (PNS) carried out in 2019. The prevalence of depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ -9) using a cutoff point greater than or equal to 10. The frequency of food consumption was evaluated based on markers of healthy and unhealthy eating, as well as an estimated index to evaluate the quality of the diet and the consumption of ultra-processed foods. The independent variables of the study were demographic and socioeconomic characteristics (gender, age, per capita household income, place of residence and macro-regions) and lifestyle (physical activity, smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages and screen time). Statistical analyzes took sampling weights into account, gross associations were assessed using bivariate analysis and logistic regression models adjusted for confounding factors were constructed. Results: Of the total number of participants, 50% were male, 59,7% were aged between 15 and 17 years old, 38,6% belonged to families with a per capita household income of up to ½ minimum wage, 83,6% lived in urban area and 39,3% in the Southeast Region. A prevalence of depression of 11% was observed, being higher among females (16,3%) compared to males (5,7%) and among residents of urban areas (11,9%) compared to residents of rural areas (6,2%). For food consumption markers, a significant association was observed only between replacing lunch with a snack and the prevalence of depression among boys (OR= 10,31) 95% CI. Conclusion: It was possible to observe that 11% of Brazilian adolescents between 15 and 19 years of age presented depression, being higher among girls and among residents of urban areas. Furthermore, there was an association between depression and replacing lunch with a snack for 5 days or more among boys. Therefore, it is emphasized that aspects of nutrition must be considered both in the prevention and care of depression in adolescence.