The effects of an anti-inflammatory diet alone or in combination with acupuncture on mental health, anthropometric indices, and metabolic status in diabetic patients with depression: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND

The present clinical trial examined the efficacy of an anti-inflammatory diet combined with acupuncture compared to an anti-inflammatory diet alone and standard treatment in depressed patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

METHODS

In this 8-week randomized controlled clinical trial, 90 patients with T2DM who were experiencing mild to moderate depression were included. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (i) acupuncture combined with an anti-inflammatory diet, (ii) an anti-inflammatory diet alone, and (iii) standard treatment. The combination therapy group received acupuncture therapy twice a week. Mental health outcomes, biochemical parameters, dietary intake, and anthropometric indices were assessed at baseline and the end of the trial.

RESULTS

Of the 90 diabetic patients, 83 completed the intervention. Acupuncture therapy combined with diet resulted in an ~20% reduction in depression and anxiety, 4.28 and 0.82% reduction in waist circumference (WC) and HbA1C levels, respectively at the end of the trial. This combination therapy also significantly decreased WC (p = 0.04) and HbA1c levels (p = 0.008), while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (p = 0.02) compared to diet alone.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that acupuncture, in conjunction with an anti-inflammatory diet, may be more effective in enhancing mental health, reducing HbA1C levels, and decreasing abdominal obesity compared to an anti-inflammatory diet alone in patients with T2DM experiencing mild-to-moderate depression after 8 weeks. However, further clinical trials with larger sample sizes and extended durations are recommended to confirm the efficacy of this adjunctive therapy.