Association of dietary intake of live microbes with bowel health and depression in US adults: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 2005–2010
2024

Dietary Intake of Live Microbes and Its Effects on Bowel Health and Depression

Sample size: 10785 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Shi Jikang, Zhao Qian, Liang Zhuoshuai, Cui Heran, Liu Yawen, Cheng Yi, Zhang Ming

Primary Institution: Peking University Shenzhen Hospital

Hypothesis

Does dietary intake of live microbes affect bowel health and depression in US adults?

Conclusion

A high dietary intake of live microbes is associated with a lower risk of depression and bowel issues.

Supporting Evidence

  • Participants with higher intake of live microbes had lower risks of depression.
  • Those consuming at least 66.1 g of MedHi foods daily showed significant health benefits.
  • Depression and bowel health were found to mutually mediate each other's effects.

Takeaway

Eating foods with live microbes can help you feel happier and have better bowel movements.

Methodology

Data from NHANES 2005–2010 was analyzed, categorizing participants based on their intake of live microbes and assessing their bowel health and depression.

Potential Biases

Potential recall bias in self-reported dietary intake and health status.

Limitations

Recall bias in self-reported data and the inability to infer causality due to the cross-sectional design.

Participant Demographics

Participants were US adults aged 20 and above, with a mean age of 50.2 years, including diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Statistical Information

Confidence Interval

95% CI: 0.581–0.941 for G2 group; 95% CI: 0.585–0.877 for G3 group.

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1265/ehpm.24-00202

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