Relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, microbiota awareness and depression: a cross-sectional study

Purpose Depression is an increasing global public health concern, and growing evidence suggests that dietary patterns play an important role in mental health. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been associated with improved psychological well-being and beneficial gut microbiota composition. This study aims to examine the relationship between adherence to the MedDiet and microbiota awareness among adults and to explore their associations with depression. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study was conducted with 385 adults (219 females, 166 males) aged 18–60 years living in Istanbul. Dietary intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire and a 24-h dietary recall. Adherence to MedDiet was measured using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MEDAS), microbiota awareness was evaluated using the Microbiota Awareness Scale (MAS) and depression severity was assessed using Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI). Findings The authors found a statistically significant association between MEDAS levels and dietary supplement intake as well as consumption of prebiotic foods (p < 0.05), with higher adherence linked to greater intake. MEDAS scores were positively correlated with MAS (r = 0.427, p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with BDI scores (r = −0.394, p < 0.001). Regression analyses indicated that higher adherence to the MedDiet was significantly associated with lower depression levels (β = −0.374, p < 0.001) and higher microbiota awareness (β = 0.364, p < 0.001). Originality/value The findings suggested that MedDiet adherence and microbiota awareness were associated with mental well-being and may inform future research in diverse populations.