Linking Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms with Diet Quality of University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic in India.

Journal: Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)

Volume: 10

Issue: 10

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing , China. Department of Studies in Genetics and Genomics, University of Mysore, Mysuru , India. Department of Food Microbiology, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali , Bangladesh. Centre for Health Behaviours Research, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Department of Food Technology and Nutrition Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali , Bangladesh. Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah , Saudi Arabia. Human Sciences Research Council, - Buitengracht Street, Cape Town , South Africa. Statistics Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna , Bangladesh. Department of Statistics, Government Brajalal College, National University of Bangladesh, Gazipur , Bangladesh. Department of Health, Physical Education & Recreation, College of Education Studies, University of Cape Coast, PMB TF, Cape Coast P.O. Box , Ghana. Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Cape Coast, PMB TF, Cape Coast P.O. Box , Ghana.

Abstract summary 

This study examines the association of depressive and anxiety symptoms with diet quality among university students while controlling for different demographic and other health and lifestyle factors. This cross-sectional study was carried out between April 2021 and June 2021 among a total of 440 (unweighted) university students. Diet quality was assessed using a 10-item mini-dietary assessment index tool. The depressive and anxiety symptoms of participants were measured using the validated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation analyses were performed. In this study, 61.1% (95% CI: 56.6% to 65.7%) of university students' diet quality was good during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being a post-graduate student, an urban resident, having no depressive (AOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.20 to 3.84) and anxiety symptoms (AOR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.07 to 3.59), no changes or improvement in appetite, and no changes in sleep duration were significantly associated with good diet quality among our study participants. Depressive and anxiety symptoms during COVID-19 had a significant effect on the diet quality of university students. Future public health policies need to be focused on improving the mental health and well-being of students particularly during pandemic situations to enhance their diet quality.

Authors & Co-authors:  Kundu Satyajit S Rejwana Najneen N Al Banna Md Hasan MH Kawuki Joseph J Ghosh Susmita S Alshahrani Najim Z NZ Dukhi Natisha N Kundu Subarna S Dey Rakhi R Hagan John Elvis JE Nsiah-Asamoah Christiana Naa Atsreh CNA Malini Suttur S SS

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Wang X., Hegde S., Son C., Keller B., Smith A., Sasangohar F. Investigating Mental Health of US College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey Study. J. Med. Internet Res. 2020;22:e22817. doi: 10.2196/22817.
Authors :  12
Identifiers
Doi : 1848
SSN : 2227-9032
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
COVID-19;India;anxiety;depression;diet quality;university students
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
Switzerland