A randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression in young men (the 'AMMEND' study): a study protocol.

Depression affects approximately 350 million people worldwide. Evidence suggests that diet plays an important role with the Mediterranean diet (MD) displaying promising preliminary results. Currently, most of the research is conducted on women and older adults; however, the majority of mental illnesses occur before the age of 25 years. Men are less likely to seek help than women with only 13 % of young men aged 15-24 years seeking help for their mental health. Young men are hugely underrepresented in the current research which poses a significant issue. A 12-week randomised controlled trial will be conducted to examine the effect of a MD on the symptoms of depression in young men aged 18-25 years. Participants will be randomised to either follow a MD or receive the inactive control therapy befriending. Participants will attend three appointments at baseline, week 6 and week 12. The main outcome will be changes to the Beck's Depression Inventory score. This research aims to answer the question of whether diet can be used effectively in this population. This will be the first trial to examine the effect of a MD on the symptoms of depression in young men. This trial will help fill a significant research gap, contribute to the growing field of nutritional psychiatry, guide future research and inform advice given by clinicians to this specific demographic.