"Eating a Mediterranean diet may help prevent depression, research suggests," BBC News reports.

The headline was prompted by a new review of previously conducted studies into the impact of diet on depression. A main finding of the review was that there seemed to be a strong association between eating a Mediterranean-style diet and a reduced risk of developing symptoms of depression or being diagnosed with clinical depression. 

There are no strict criteria as to what constitutes a Mediterranean diet, but it normally refers to a diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruit, pulses and olive oil, but little red or processed meat. Such a diet has long been recognised as being good for heart health, so it could also be the case that what is "good for the body is also good for the mind". 

But there are limitations to the review that mean we can't be sure diet actually protects against depression. 

People may be less likely to prepare and eat healthy meals when they are feeling depressed, so the study could just show that people prone to depression have less healthy diets. Also, people who eat healthy diets tend to have generally healthier lifestyles, including taking more exercise, which is thought to protect against depression. While some of the studies included in this review took account of this, others did not. 

Although we should be cautious about the study findings, they represent another potential reason to adopt a Mediterranean diet. We already know the diet is good for our hearts – adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle may well be good for our mood, too.

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