Dietary quality and nutrient intake in adults with obsessive–compulsive disorder

Abstract

Background Many mental disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are associated with poor dietary quality and nutrient intake. There is, however, a deficit of research looking at the relationship between obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) severity, nutrient intake and dietary quality. Aims This study aims to explore the relationship between OCD severity, nutrient intake and dietary quality. Method A post hoc regression analysis was conducted with data combined from two separate clinical trials that included 85 adults with diagnosed OCD, using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5. Nutrient intakes were calculated from the Dietary Questionnaire for Epidemiological Studies version 3.2, and dietary quality was scored with the Healthy Eating Index for Australian Adults – 2013. Results Nutrient intake in the sample largely aligned with Australian dietary guidelines. Linear regression models adjusted for gender, age and total energy intake showed no significant associations between OCD severity, nutrient intake and dietary quality (all P > 0.05). However, OCD severity was inversely associated with caffeine (β = −15.50, 95% CI −28.88 to −2.11, P = 0.024) and magnesium (β = −6.63, 95% CI −12.72 to −0.53, P = 0.034) intake after adjusting for OCD treatment resistance. Conclusions This study showed OCD severity had little effect on nutrient intake and dietary quality. Dietary quality scores were higher than prior studies with healthy samples, but limitations must be noted regarding comparability. Future studies employing larger sample sizes, control groups and more accurate dietary intake measures will further elucidate the relationship between nutrient intake and dietary quality in patients with OCD.

General somatic health and lifestyle habits in individuals with obsessive- compulsive disorder: an international survey

“…This is partly in line with previous research findings showing a significant association between higher obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and lower intake of vegetables and oily fish [ 76 ]. These results contrast with those reported by Nguyen et al [ 24 ], who found no association between OCD severity and dietary quality. Nonetheless, head-to-head comparisons are difficult due to methodological differences.…”

“…However, in the United States, almost half of the population (46%) are estimated to have a poor-quality diet [ 68 ]. Nonetheless, most respondents in our survey seemed to have at least relatively healthy dietary habits, in line with the findings by Nguyen et al [ 24 ] on overall dietary quality in OCD, where, in a sample of 85 individuals with OCD, most were considered to meet dietary recommendations.…”

“…To our knowledge, only one study has so far investigated overall dietary quality in individuals with OCD. The dietary patterns and nutrient intake of 85 individuals with OCD from Australia were evaluated using a brief questionnaire, showing that the dietary recommendations were largely followed [ 24 ]. However, given that this study included a relatively small number of individuals and relied on self-reported information, the dietary habits of individuals with OCD deserve further examination in larger samples, different settings, and using different methods.…”

Development and Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Evaluating the Nutritional Status of Patients with Serious Mental Illnesses (DIETQ-SMI) in Bahrain

“…Our findings are consistent with the previous literature demonstrating challenges in dietary assessment among individuals with mental illnesses [16,23,47,48]. The high validity of our tailored FFQ addresses the limitations of existing tools and will help advance nutrition research in this population [23].…”

Deep clinical phenotyping of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: an approach towards detection of organic causes and first results

“…Elevated triglycerides were found in 25% of patients, which is significantly higher than in the general population (around 10%) [52]. In the literature to date, there are no known links between OCD severity and diet quality or nutrient intake [53].…”