Diet and Depression during Peri- and Post-Menopause: A Scoping Review

Background/Objectives: Despite the biological plausibility and public health relevance of diet as a modifiable risk factor for depression, research specifically targeting peri- and post-menopausal women remains scarce. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review mapping and synthesizing existing literature on diet and depression in this population. Methods: Studies were identified through Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Scopus. After deduplication in Covidence, two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts using predefined eligibility criteria. Data were extracted using standardized forms and summarized in tables and figures. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane RoB-2 tool for randomized trials and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) tools for cohort, cross-sectional, and case–control studies. Results: Thirty-nine studies—most with observational designs, published between 2020 and 2025, and focused on healthy peri- and/or post-menopausal women—were included. Investigated diet-related variables included dietary patterns, food groups, individual foods, and nutrients. All observational studies had moderate or high risk of bias, while over half of experimental studies had low risk of bias. Dietary patterns and vitamin D3 were the variables most consistently associated with depressive symptoms. In contrast, findings for other nutrients, foods, and food groups were inconsistent or conflicting. Conclusions: This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of evidence on diet and depression in peri- and post-menopausal women. By identifying critical gaps in the literature, particularly the need for high-quality prospective cohort studies and clinical trials, it offers a valuable foundation for guiding future research and informing health professionals working at the intersection of nutrition, psychiatry, and women’s health. Protocol registration: osf.io/b89r6.