Association of eating rate and post-dinner snacking with depressive symptoms in Chinese adult men

Abstract

Eating behaviors are associated with mental health. However, although most studies have assessed specific eating behaviors, none have evaluated the association of eating rates and post-dinner snacking with depressive symptoms. This study investigated this relationship in adult Chinese men. A total of 1552 participants aged 25–68 years were included in this study. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between eating behaviors and depressive symptoms, and the corresponding odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Self-administered questionnaires were used to evaluate eating rates and post-dinner snacking, and the Self-Rating Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms. In the unadjusted model, the odds ratios and 95% CIs for depressive symptoms associated with normal and fast eating compared with slow eating were 1.47 (1.15, 1.89) and 1.60 (1.14, 2.23), respectively (p for trend = 0.002). This significant positive association remained unchanged in the final adjusted model (p for trend = 0.006). No significant relationship was found between post-dinner snacking and depressive symptoms. These findings showed that eating fast was linked to a higher risk of depressive symptoms and suggested that speed of eating may influence the mental health of adult men.