95% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or good
Learn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish.
Find out more
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutrition, Psychology and Brain Health
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1557105
This article is part of the Research Topic Prevention and Treatment Advancements in Diabetic Retinopathy View all 5 articles
Depression and Diabetic Retinopathy: An Underexplored Connection
Provisionally accepted- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
Background: Diabetic retinopathy, a major microvascular complication of diabetes, significantly contributes to global blindness. Emerging evidence suggests a potential association between depression and DR, yet the mechanisms remain unclear.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between depression and DR using nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2011-2020).Methods: Depression was assessed using the PHQ-9, and DR was identified through self-reported diagnoses. Multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic splines analyzed the relationship, adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates. Subgroup analyses examined interactions with factors like age and lipid control.Results: Among 1,653 participants, the weighted DR prevalence was 18.91%. Depression was independently associated with higher DR risk (OR: 1.69, 95% CI:1.08-2.64, P < 0.05), with a significant linear relationship between PHQ-9 scores and DR (P < 0.01). Subgroup analyses highlighted stronger associations in older adults and those with well-controlled lipids.Conclusions: Depression is a significant and independent risk factor for DR, emphasizing the need for integrated management of mental health and metabolic control in diabetic patients. Addressing depression may reduce DR burden and improve overall quality of life.
Keywords: Diabetic Retinopathy, Depression, Risk factors, NHANES, Mental Health
Received: 08 Jan 2025; Accepted: 28 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Sun, Li, Xin, Zhang, Lv and Tan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Shanjuan Tan, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, 266011, Shandong Province, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.