Planetary Health Diet lowers heart risk in older women, study finds - FemTech World
A 20-year study of 66,892 postmenopausal women linked the Planetary Health Diet to lower cardiovascular disease risk. Women whose eating habits most closely followed the diet had around a 28 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those in the lowest-adherence group. Even moderate adherence to the diet was linked with a lower risk. Donya Shahamati is…
Yoga and omega-3 supplements may be as effective as talking therapies for pregnancy depression, a major review suggests. Globally, nearly one in three pregnant women experience depression, but most receive no treatment. When support is available, women are often directed towards talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, and mindfulness. CBT is a structured talking therapy that helps people identify and change patterns of thought and behaviour affecting their mental health. The review examined 115clinical trialsinvolving more than 12,000 participants across 30 countries. It found that yoga, massage, omega-3 supplements and bright light therapy were broadly as effective as talking therapies at reducing depression symptoms duringpregnancy. Bright light therapy involves controlled exposure to bright light and is sometimes used to treat mood conditions. The findings point to the importance of social support and increased connection, as all these approaches offer some element of contact or guided support. Led by King’s College London, the research brought together trial evidence across every type and format of treatment for antenatal depression under a common framework. Antenatal depression is depression that occurs during pregnancy. The study was conducted as part of HappyMums, a European consortium led by the University of Milan that aims to improvemental healthsupport during pregnancy and after birth. Carmine Pariante, professor of biological psychiatry, said: “This is the most comprehensive analysis of treatments for depression in pregnancy ever conducted, and the findings should prompt a rethink of how we support women during this critical period. “The evidence is clear that there is no single best approach. What matters is that women have access to a range of options, and that clinicians feel equipped to offer them. ”The researchers said yoga and omega-3 supplements could be legitimate treatment options, rather than stopgaps, for women on waiting lists or those who struggle to access mental health support. However, the studies differed considerably in design, sample size and how results were measured, so the findings should be interpreted with care. The team said non-psychological approaches could help women cope with long waits for care without ruling out other treatments alongside them. Digital and online interventions, including apps and telephone-based support, were also found to be as effective as face-to-face treatment. Researchers said this could affect how antenatal depression is managed, particularly for women who cannot travel or face long waits for in-person care. The team found no randomised controlled trials of pharmaceutical treatments for antenatal depression, despite antidepressants being widely prescribed for depression outside pregnancy. A randomised controlled trial is a study in which participants are randomly assigned to differenttreatmentgroups, allowing researchers to compare outcomes more fairly. Evidence for drug treatment during pregnancy therefore relies on indirect research rather than trials carried out during pregnancy, reflecting long-standing caution around testing medicines in pregnant populations. NICE guidelines recommend antidepressants for moderate to severe depression in pregnancy, while evidence from outside formal pregnancy trials suggests they can be safe and effective. However, the researchers said trials are still needed, particularly for women who cannot access or engage with other forms of support. Riddhi Laijawala, trial manager and PhD student, said: “Depression in pregnancy is common, but it is not inevitable, and it is treatable. What this review shows is that the options available to women are broader than many people realise. “A yoga class, music therapy, or an online programme may not sound like clinical treatment, but the evidence suggests they can make a real difference, and for many women they may be easier (and quicker) to access than a course of therapy. ”Depression during pregnancy affects an estimated 28. 5 per cent of pregnant people worldwide, but only around one in five receives appropriate and timely treatment. The team said closing this treatment gap should be a priority for health systems because the condition can affect both parent and child. The HappyMums project is supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.