Dietary quality and nutrient intake in adults with obsessive–compulsive disorder

• Published in: BJPsych open Vol. 7; no. 6
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Thomas P., Cribb, Lachlan, Ng, Chee H., Byrne, Gerard J., Castle, David, Brakoulias, Vlasios, Blair-West, Scott, Oliver, Georgina, Ee, Carolyn, Dean, Olivia M., Camfield, David A., Bousman, Chad, Dowling, Nathan, Roy, Rajshri, Berk, Michael, Sarris, Jerome
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-11-2021
• Subjects: Alcohol; Antidepressants; Behavior modification; Bipolar disorder; Consent; Diet; dietary quality; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Metabolism; Microbiota; nutrition; Obsessive compulsive disorder; psychiatry; Psychosis; Questionnaires; Serotonin; Womens health; Obsessive–compulsive disorder; nutrition; dietary quality; diet; psychiatry
• ISSN: 2056-4724; 2056-4724
• DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2021.1039

BackgroundMany mental disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are associated with poor dietary quality and nutrient intake. There is, however, a deficit of research looking at the relationship between obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) severity, nutrient intake and dietary quality.AimsThis study aims to explore the relationship between OCD severity, nutrient intake and dietary quality.MethodA post hoc regression analysis was conducted with data combined from two separate clinical trials that included 85 adults with diagnosed OCD, using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5. Nutrient intakes were calculated from the Dietary Questionnaire for Epidemiological Studies version 3.2, and dietary quality was scored with the Healthy Eating Index for Australian Adults – 2013.ResultsNutrient intake in the sample largely aligned with Australian dietary guidelines. Linear regression models adjusted for gender, age and total energy intake showed no significant associations between OCD severity, nutrient intake and dietary quality (all P > 0.05). However, OCD severity was inversely associated with caffeine (β = −15.50, 95% CI −28.88 to −2.11, P = 0.024) and magnesium (β = −6.63, 95% CI −12.72 to −0.53, P = 0.034) intake after adjusting for OCD treatment resistance.ConclusionsThis study showed OCD severity had little effect on nutrient intake and dietary quality. Dietary quality scores were higher than prior studies with healthy samples, but limitations must be noted regarding comparability. Future studies employing larger sample sizes, control groups and more accurate dietary intake measures will further elucidate the relationship between nutrient intake and dietary quality in patients with OCD.