Association between oxidative balance score and psychological disorders in adults

Maintaining a favorable balance between antioxidants and pro-oxidants, rather than merely increasing antioxidant intake, may be critical for mental health. This study examined the association between Oxidative Balance Score (OBS), an integrated measure of both antioxidant and pro-oxidant exposures, and odds of psychological disorders. This cross-sectional analysis used baseline data from the Isfahan Functional Disorders (ISFUN) cohort. Dietary intakes were assessed using a self-administered, Willett-format, Dish-based, 106-item Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (DS-FFQ). OBS was calculated based on 16 dietary and 4 lifestyle factors. Depression and anxiety symptoms were evaluated using the Iranian-validated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). After adjusting for confounding variables, higher OBS was significantly associated with reduced odds of depression (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.49–0.86) and anxiety (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.53–0.92). In sex-stratified analyses, a significant inverse association was found between OBS with depression (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.45–0.93) and anxiety (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.45–0.91) among women. However, there was no significant association between OBS with depression and anxiety among men. In conclusion, a higher OBS was associated with reduced odds of depression and anxiety in this population, with this inverse association being statistically significant only in women, highlighting the potential importance of a balanced antioxidant-pro-oxidant profile for mental health. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.