A groundbreaking observational study, which is being considered one of the largest and highest-quality observational studies of its kind, has revealed that seven healthy lifestyle habits can significantly cut the risk of depression, even for individuals genetically predisposed to the condition. These habits encompass moderate alcohol consumption, a healthy diet, regular physical activity, sufficient sleep, abstaining from smoking, avoiding sedentary behaviour, and maintaining social connections. Following such a lifestyle was not only associated with a decreased risk of depression but also yielded benefits such as enhanced brain volumes and improved immune and metabolic functions.

One’s susceptibility to depression has long been linked to genetic factors, but this new analysis, published in Nature Mental Health, demonstrates that adhering to a set of seven healthy lifestyle habits can remarkably mitigate that risk and even overcome a genetic predisposition.

To conduct this groundbreaking study, a team of researchers from Fudan University in China and the University of Cambridge in the UK harnessed the comprehensive dataset of the UK Biobank, which houses in-depth genetic and health information from a staggering half a million UK participants. The wealth of data at their disposal is currently driving a much-needed renaissance in high-quality epidemiological studies.

The researchers initiated their investigation by examining the self-reported lifestyle habits of 287,282 individuals, focusing on seven key factors: diet, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep, smoking, sedentary behaviour, and social connection. They then monitored these individuals over nine years to identify those who subsequently experienced depression, assessing how each of these habits influenced the risk. Their findings are as follows:

1. Eating a healthy diet, defined as one rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish while limiting refined grains, processed meats, and red meat, reduced the risk of depression by 6 per cent.

2. Consuming no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and two for men was associated with an 11 per cent reduction in risk.

3. Spending fewer than four hours per day outside of work watching TV or using a computer led to a 13 per cent decrease in depression risk.

4. Engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week was linked to a 14 per cent reduction in risk.

5. Staying socially connected with friends and family resulted in an 18 per cent reduction in the risk of depression.

6. Never smoking was associated with a substantial 20 per cent decline in risk.

7. Consistently sleeping seven to nine hours each night, on average, lowered the risk of depression by a significant 22 per cent.

Remarkably, individuals who adhered to at least five of these wholesome habits experienced a remarkable 57 per cent decrease in depression risk when compared to those who followed only one or none of these practices.

Moving beyond these lifestyle habits, the researchers delved into genetic data for nearly 200,000 individuals, discovering that adopting at least five of these habits proved effective in helping people genetically predisposed to depression avoid developing the condition.

“Participants with high genetic risk but favourable lifestyle had a lower risk of depression than those with intermediate or low genetic risk but unfavourable lifestyle and those with intermediate genetic risk and intermediate lifestyle,” the researchers noted.

Although genetic factors can indeed increase the risk of depression, this study demonstrates that a healthy lifestyle can be even more influential in preventing this condition. According to Barbara Sahakian, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and one of the authors of the study, “Our DNA — the genetic hand we’ve been dealt — can increase our risk of depression, but we’ve shown that a healthy lifestyle is potentially more important.”

The researchers were also granted access to brain imaging data for 33,000 of the study’s participants, which offered insights into a potential causal mechanism by which lifestyle can impact depression. Higher lifestyle scores were associated with a greater volume in the orbitofrontal cortex and the medial prefrontal cortex, suggesting enhanced cognitive control and emotion regulation.

Furthermore, blood work data was available for some of the study’s subjects, hinting at improved immune and metabolic function among those who followed a healthy lifestyle.

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