Objectives:
The aim of the research was to assess the fatty acid content and atherogenicity of daily food rations in patients with recurrent depressive disorders in the aspect of risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Methods:
The study included 126 persons (62 persons with diagnosed recurrent depressive disorders and 64 healthy volunteers). A 24-hour recall was used in the quantitative assessment of the diet. Anthropometric and chemical measurements as well as body composition analysis were used to assess the nutritional status.

Results:
The diets of 40% of tested women and 55% of men were atherogenic, according to an assessment using Keys’index. The proportion between the PUFA and SFA content was 0.3 (women) and 0.2 (men) with recommended values of . 1. In the group of women there were no significant correlations between the selected clinical features of the illness and components of diet and biochemical data of nutritional status. It was only observed that a higher intensity of depressive symptoms had a significantly negative effect on the glucose concentration in the women’s blood. It was also observed that in the group of women suffering from depression, the total consumption of fats and cholesterol content in the food decreased with age. No statistically significant correlations between the assessed variables were observed in the group of men taking part in the study.

Conclusions:
The improper energy structure and the composition of the subjects’ food rations may contribute to the development of the cardiovascular system diseases in the future and make it difficult to maintain mental health at the same time.