Nutrition and late-life depression: etiological considerations.

Depression is a debilitating mental disorder that frequently occurs in older adults, especially in those with vascular diseases. Nutritional factors have the potential to decrease the occurrence of late-life depression but have not been adequately studied. Low folate levels, disturbed omega-3 fatty acid metabolism and obesity have been associated with depression, and may be causal factors. Longitudinal studies are urgently needed in order to examine the potential of dietary factors to prevent late-life depression.