Associations of dietary intake, anthropometric measurements and depression among three birth cohorts of 70-year-olds examined 1992-2016 Authors: Jessica Samuelsson¹, Ingmar Skoog¹, Anna Zettergren¹, Elisabet Rothenberg², 1Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. ² Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden Abstract Objectives: To examine associations between dietary intakes, anthropometric measurements and depression among three samples of 70-year-olds examined 1992-93 (birth cohort 1922), 2000-02 (birth cohort 1930) and 2014-16 (birth cohort 1944). Methods: Data was derived from the Longitudinal Gerontological and Geriatric Population Study in Gothenburg, Sweden and the Population Study of Women in Gothenburg. A total of 1524 individuals participated in both the psychiatric and the dietary examination (60% women and 40 % men). Major depression was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Minor depression was diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR research criteria. Dietary intake was determined by the diet history method, estimating food intake during the preceding three months. Height, body weight and BMI were also determined. Linear regressions were calculated and analyses were adjusted for gender. Results: In the 1992-93 examination (including only women) 19% were diagnosed with either major or minor depression, 13% (9% of the men and 15% of the women) in the 2000-02 examination were diagnosed with either major or minor depression and 8% (6 % of the men and 9% of the women) were diagnosed with either major or minor depression in the 2014-16 examination. There were no significant associations between depression and energy- and nutrient intake, height, weight and BMI among women examined 1992-93. There were significant associations between depression and higher energy-, carbohydrate- and iron intakes in the 2000-02 examination (≤p=0.05). There were a significant associations between depression and higher energy-, fat-, and calcium intakes in the 2014-16 examination (p=≤0,05). Conclusions: Preliminary results indicate that there could be an association between dietary intake and depression among older adults. Further analyses will be conducted examining the association between depression and dietary patterns, waist circumference, energy expenditure and physical activity. Analyses of longitudinal data will also be conducted on 85 year-olds examined 2016 (birth cohort 1930).