Exciting new research reveals that improving diet and increasing physical activity can be just as effective as therapy with a psychologist for treating low-grade depression.
While previous studies have shown that “lifestyle” therapies can be effective for depression, they had never been directly compared to psychological therapies—until now. This recent trial focused on individuals with elevated distress, encompassing mild depression symptoms such as feeling down, hopeless, irritable, or tearful, without necessarily having a diagnosed mental disorder.
The study involved 182 adult volunteers who participated in group-based sessions facilitated by health professionals. Over eight weeks, participants attended up to six sessions. They were randomly assigned to one of two programs: a lifestyle program or a psychotherapy program.
The lifestyle program, co-facilitated by an accredited practicing dietitian and an exercise physiologist, encouraged participants to set nutrition and movement goals, including:
- Eating a wide variety of foods
- Choosing high-fiber plant foods
- Including high-quality fats
- Limiting discretionary foods high in saturated fats and added sugars
- Engaging in enjoyable physical activity
The psychotherapy program, led by two psychologists, used cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the gold standard for treating depression in groups and remote settings.
After eight weeks, both groups saw significant improvements in their self-reported mental health scores. Symptoms of depression reduced by 42% in the lifestyle program and by 37% in the psychotherapy program, a difference that was neither considered statistically nor clinically significant. Participants in the lifestyle program also improved their diet, while those in the psychotherapy program felt more socially connected compared to the start of the treatment. Despite the similar results from the two programs, clearly the lifestyle one was also cheaper and more accessible.
The study proves the importance of diet and exercise, and general lifestyle practices, in the treatment of low-grade, early depression, as well as its prevention. These findings underscore the powerful impact of lifestyle changes in managing depression, highlighting an accessible and effective option for improving mental health.
The study was published in The Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific.
A ONeil et al. Clinical and cost-effectiveness of remote-delivered, online lifestyle therapy versus psychotherapy for reducing depression: results from the CALM non-inferiority, randomised trial. The Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101142
