Post-Disaster Mental Health and Dietary Patterns among Older Survivors of an Earthquake and Tsunami

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition, health & aging Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 124 - 133
• Main Authors: Yazawa, Aki, Shiba, K., Hikichi, H., Okuzono, S. S., Aida, J., Kondo, K., Sasaki, S., Kawachi, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Springer Paris 01.02.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aging; Diet; Disasters; Earthquakes; Female; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Humans; Japan; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Neurosciences; Nutrition; Older people; Original Research; Post traumatic stress disorder; Primary Care Medicine; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life Research; Questionnaires; Survivors - psychology; Temporary housing; Tsunamis; Japan; PTSD; depression; diet; BDHQ; disaster
• ISSN: 1279-7707; 1760-4788
• DOI: 10.1007/s12603-023-1887-z

Objectives Research suggests that cardiometabolic disease risks are elevated among survivors of natural disasters, possibly mediated by changes in diet. Using the Brief Dietary History Questionnaire, we examined ( 1 ) dietary patterns among older survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and ( 2 ) the contribution of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS)/depressive symptoms, as well as relocation to temporary housing on dietary patterns and ( 3 ) gender differences in the associations. Design, Setting and Participants Data came from a prospective cohort study of 1,375 survivors aged 65–89 years (44.6% male). Measurements PTSS/depression onset was evaluated in 2013, 2.5 years after the disaster. Dietary data was collected with a self-administered brief-type diet history questionnaire in 2020. A principal component analysis identified three posterior dietary patterns. Results Diet 1 consisted of high intake of vegetables, soy products, and fruits; Diet 2 consisted of carbohydrate-rich foods and snacks/sweets; Diet 3 consisted of high intake of alcoholic beverages, meat, and seafood. Least-squares linear regression revealed that individuals with PTSS/depression were less likely to exhibit Diet 1, while individuals with PTSS were more likely to exhibit Diet 2&3. Especially, males who had depression showed an unhealthy dietary pattern. Those who have lived in a trailer-style temporary housing reported less consumption of Diet 3. Conclusion Survivors of disaster with symptoms of mental illness tended to exhibit less healthy dietary patterns after 9 years. Diet varied by type of post-disaster mental illness, gender, and current social circumstances. We lacked pre-disaster BDHQ data, which is a limitation.