Tea Consumption and Depressive Symptoms in Older People in Rural China

• ObjectivesTo examine the association between tea consumption and depressive symptoms in Chinese older people and to explore the mediating role of cerebrovascular disease in the association. DesignPopulation-based cross-sectional study. SettingA rural community near Qufu in Shandong, China. ParticipantsCommunity-dwelling individuals aged 60 and older (mean 68.6; 59.3% female) from the Confucius Hometown Aging Project (N=1,368). MeasurmentsData were collected through interviews, clinical examinations, and psychological testing, following a standard procedure. Presence of high depressive symptoms was defined as a score of 5 or greater on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. ResultsOf the 1,368 participants, 165 (12.1%) were weekly and 489 (35.7%) were daily tea consumers. Compared with no or irregular tea consumption, controlling for age, sex, education, leisure activities, number of comorbidities, and Mini-Mental State Examination score, the odds ratios of having high depressive symptoms were 0.86 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.56-1.32) for weekly and 0.59 (95% CI=0.43-0.81) for daily tea consumption (P for linear trend=.001); the linear trend of the association remained statistically significant when further controlling for history of stroke, transient ischemic attacks, and presence of carotid plaques. ConclusionsDaily tea consumption is associated with a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms in Chinese older people living in a rural community. The association appears to be independent of cerebrovascular disease and atherosclerosis.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap -- Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences -- Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

tea consumption

cerebrovascular disease

depressive symptoms

aging

China

population-based study

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)