Interactions between vitamin D binding protein variants and major dietary patterns on mental health status in apparently healthy adults

Introduction

Recent studies have shown that the risks of mental disorders resulting from vitamin D deficiency, such as depression, anxiety and stress, can be affected by various high-risk alleles. Among the genes interacting with environmental factors are those associated with vitamin D binding protein (DBP) that affects the status of 25- OH vitamin D. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the interaction between dietary patterns and DBP gene variants on mental health status in adults.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of adult participants (n = 265 and 18–55 years old) in Tehran. Major dietary patterns were determined using principal component analysis (PCA) method on 24 food groups, using a valid and reliable 147-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). DBP genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reactions - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Data about the mental health status were collected using the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Score (DASS-21).

Results

Results demonstrated strong interactions between higher adherence to healthy dietary patterns in individuals with the major allele (low-risk allele) carriers of rs7041 (GG genotype), in relation to reduced stress score (OR= -2.54, 95 % CI = -4.60 to -0.48, P interaction = 0.02). Also, individuals with higher adherence to healthy dietary patterns with GG genotype of rs7041 indicated reduced stress score, but it was not significant (OR = -1.84, 95 % CI = 0.18 to -3.86, P interaction = 0.07).

Conclusion

The present evidence indicates that interactions between healthy dietary patterns with DBP variants (rs7041 - GG genotype) may effectively reduce the odds of mental disorders , especially in stress, through consuming healthy food groups and inherited low-risk alleles.