Janine Walker|Andrew Mackinnon|Philip J. Batterham|Anthony F. Jorm|Ian B. Hickie|Affrica McCarthy|Michael Fenech|Helen Christensen
Mental health literacy, folic acid and vitamin B<sub>12</sub>, and physical activity for the prevention of depression in older adults: randomised controlled trial
Australian National University
randomised controlled trials rcts examined potential preventive agents highrisk community populationsto determine whether mental health literacy intervention promotion physical activity folic acid plus vitamin b12 reduce depression symptoms communitydwelling older adults elevated psychological distressan rct completely crossed 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design 400 mcgd folic acid 100 mcgd vitamin b12 v placeboxphysical activity v nutrition promotion controlxmental health literacy v pain information control initial target sample size 2000 however 909 adults 6074 years met study criteria interventions delivered mail telephone calls main outcome depressive symptoms patient health questionnaire phq9 6 weeks 6 12 24 months clinicaltrialsgov registration number nct00214682the dropout rate low 135 randomisation 24month assessment neither folic acid b12 f3856 083 p 0476 physical activity f3856 165 p 0177 reduced depressive symptoms time point 6 weeks depressive symptoms lower mental health literacy intervention compared control condition t895 204 p 0042mental health literacy transient effect depressive symptoms none interventions significantly reduced symptoms relative comparator 6 weeks subsequently neither folic acid plus b12 physical activity effective reducing depressive symptoms