SMILES Trial: Dietary Improvement for Major Depression
Can diet changes treat depression?
Dietary improvements significantly reduce depression symptoms according to the landmark SMILES trial. Mediterranean-style diet intervention showed meaningful benefits compared to control group.
Diet works by providing essential nutrients for brain function, reducing inflammation, and supporting gut-brain axis communication - food literally acts as medicine for the brain.
What the data show:
- Remission rate: 32% (1 in 3 participants achieved full recovery)
- Diet type: Mediterranean-style with whole foods, fish, olive oil, vegetables
- Treatment duration: 12-week structured dietary counseling program
- Combined treatment: works alongside medication and therapy
- Evidence level: first RCT demonstrating dietary intervention alone can treat depression
The SMILES (Supporting the Modification of lifestyle In Lowered Emotional States) trial published in BMC Medicine represents groundbreaking research in nutritional psychiatry, demonstrating that structured dietary intervention can significantly improve depressive symptoms in adults with major depression.