Association of serum oleic acid level with depression in American adults: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: As the most abundant fatty acid in plasma, oleic acid has been found to be associated with multiple neurological diseases; however, results from studies of the relationship between oleic acid and depression are inconsistent. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed 4,459 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014. The following covariates were adjusted in multivariable logistic regression models: age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, body mass index, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol status, metabolic syndrome, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and total cholesterol. RESULTS: Serum oleic acid levels were positively associated with depression. After adjusting for all covariates, for every 1 mmol/L increase in oleic acid levels, the prevalence of depression increased by 40% (unadjusted OR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.16–1.57; adjusted OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03–1.90). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that oleic acid may play a role in depression. Further research is needed to investigate the potential benefits of changing oleic acid levels for the treatment and prevention of depression. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-023-05271-0.