Anxiety and depression symptoms in relation to body mass index, fruit and vegetable intake, and physical activity among nutrition students in Peru: a cross-sectional study
Excess body weight, low PA, and low F/V consumption were associated with poorer mental health indicators, highlighting the importance of integrated health-promotion strategies among university students.
Abstract
Background Anxiety and depression are common among university students and may negatively affect their wellbeing and academic performance. However, evidence regarding their co-occurrence and their relationship with BMI and lifestyle-related factors in Peruvian students remains limited. This study aimed to analyze the association between anxiety, depression, BMI, and lifestyle-related factors among nutrition students at a private university in northern Peru. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 405 university students. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). A cut-off score of ≥3 was used to identify clinically relevant symptoms. Data were collected on body mass index (BMI), sleep duration, physical activity (PA), and fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption. Associations were evaluated using Poisson regression models with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms was 57.3 and 26.4%, respectively. Anxiety symptoms was significantly associated with depression (aPR = 4.53; 95% CI: 2.63–7.80). Compared with normal weight, overweight and obesity were associated with a higher prevalence of anxiety (overweight: aPR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.01–1.48; obesity: aPR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.10–1.87) and depression (overweight: aPR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.00–1.62; obesity: aPR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.12–2.32). Engaging in PA ≥ 5 times per week was associated with a lower prevalence of depression (aPR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14–0.85), whereas consuming <5 servings/day of F/V was associated with a higher prevalence of depression (aPR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.14–2.02). Conclusion Anxiety and depression symptoms were highly prevalent and strongly interrelated. Excess body weight, low PA, and low F/V consumption were associated with poorer mental health indicators, highlighting the importance of integrated health-promotion strategies among university students.
Aim: This study aimed to examine the associations between selected obesity-related dietary behaviours and body mass index (BMI) and to investigate the association between BMI and depressive symptoms among university students.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 632 university students aged 18–24 years in Türkiye. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, dietary behaviours, physical activity, and screen time. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Participants were classified according to the World Health Organization BMI criteria. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed.
Results: Higher dietary behaviour scores were associated with lower odds of belonging to the increased BMI category (OR=0.91, p<0.001), whereas higher caloric intake from sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with increased BMI (OR=1.02, p<0.001). Physical activity level was significantly associated with BMI (p=0.010). No significant association was found between BMI and fruit consumption, vegetable consumption, or screen time. BMI was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (ß=0.15, p=0.004).
Conclusion: Selected obesity-related dietary behaviours, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and lower physical activity levels were associated with higher BMI among university students. Furthermore, higher BMI was associated with greater depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of integrated interventions targeting both healthy lifestyle behaviours and mental well-being in young adults.
Ali Emrecan Ata, A. Alpcan, Serkan Tursun et al.· Journal of Controversies in...· 0 citations
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors, including central obesity, impaired fasting glucose, dyslipidemia, and elevated blood pressure, which increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to examine the association between fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and metabolic syndrome among adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 60 adults recruited from Maros District Regional Hospital using purposive sampling. Fruit and vegetable intake were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQ-FFQ). Physical activity was measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and categorized based on MET-minutes/week. Metabolic syndrome was defined using standard criteria. Associations were analyzed using Chi-square tests. The results indicated that most participants had low fruit consumption (73.3%) and vegetable intake (76.6%). Over half (51.7%) engaged in low physical activity. Significant associations were observed between fruit intake (p=0.003) and vegetable intake (p=0.001) with metabolic syndrome. Physical activity was not significantly associated (p=0.219). Low fruit and vegetable intake was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome among adult hospital patients. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution because the study population may not represent the general community.
Siti Uswatun Hasanah· BIO Web of Conferences· 0 citations
Obesity and excess adiposity among university students are important public health concerns. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Al-Quds University students using both body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat (PBF), and to examine their associations with eating habits, depressive symptoms, and food addiction.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 Al-Quds University students aged 18 years and older. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, eating habits, depressive symptoms, and food addiction. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI, and body composition was assessed to determine PBF. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Pearson correlation, and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis.
Based on BMI classification, 31.7% of participants were classified as having overweight or obesity, whereas 61.0% were classified as over fat according to PBF. Male students had a significantly higher prevalence of overweight/obesity than female students according to BMI (43.2% vs. 24.2%,
P
< 0.001), while female students had a significantly higher prevalence of excess body fat than male students according to PBF (71.4% vs. 44.9%,
P
< 0.001). Eating-habits category was not significantly associated with BMI or PBF, and depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with either adiposity indicator. However, eating habits were significantly associated with depression level (
P
= 0.029). In multivariable analysis, male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30–3.98), older age (aOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.04–2.91), and severe food addiction (aOR = 8.06, 95% CI: 2.01–32.37) were associated with higher odds of overweight/obesity.
Excess adiposity was common among Al-Quds University students, and PBF identified a substantially greater proportion of students with excess adiposity than BMI alone. Male sex, older age, and severe food addiction were associated with overweight/obesity, whereas general eating-habits category and depressive symptoms were not independently associated with adiposity in the reported analyses. These findings support the value of combining BMI with body-composition assessment in university populations and highlight the need for integrated university-based health strategies.
H. Agha, Walaa Maher Idrees, Raghda Amro· BMC Public Health· 0 citations
Depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. The nuts are rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, may play a role in mental health. This study aims to investigate the association between nut consumption and symptoms of depression and anxiety among Iranian adults.
This cross-sectional analysis was performed on 1,994 healthy adults. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Nuts included all commonly consumed tree nuts and peanuts. Participants were divided into two categories based on the median of nut consumption including; < 3.4 servings/week and ≥ 3.4 servings/week. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). This association were assessed using Binary logistic regression.
The mean age of participants was 39.3 ± 14.4 years and 53.5% were women. In the crude model, higher nut consumption was significantly associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms (OR: 0.62; p = 0.01). This association remained significant after adjustment for all potential confounders (OR: 0.72; p = 0.033). No significant association was observed between nut consumption and anxiety symptoms in either the crude (OR: 0.81; p = 0.056), or fully adjusted models (OR: 0.85; p = 0.257).
The findings showed that higher nut consumption was independently associated with reduced occurrence of depressive symptoms among Iranian adults. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to confirm these associations.
Motahare Bateni, Farid Shamlou, N. Mohammadifard et al.· Nutrition & Food Science· 0 citations
Healthy lifestyle habits are a key pillar of physical, psychological, and social well-being, yet university years are often marked by declines in sleep quality, physical activity, and other health behaviors that may affect academic performance. This cross-sectional study examined these associations in 390 Spanish university students, assessed via an online and in-person questionnaire covering academic trajectory (grade point average, credits passed, curricular progression), sleep quality (PSQI), physical activity (IPAQ), tobacco use, Body Mass Index (BMI), and sociodemographic data. Bivariate associations were tested with chi-square, Pearson correlation, t-tests, and ANOVA, followed by generalized linear models for significant variables. Sports participation, but not IPAQ-measured physical activity, was significantly associated with academic progression, defined as advancing one grade level per year. Sleep indicators showed mixed, partly counterintuitive associations: poorer nocturnal sleep was linked to better progression, whereas better sleep quality predicted a higher percentage of credits completed. BMI was a modest positive predictor of credit completion, and underweight students performed significantly worse than overweight or obese peers. Tobacco use showed no significant associations. These findings suggest that sleep-related behaviors, sports participation, and, to a lesser extent, BMI, are relevant correlates of academic progress, supporting university health policies addressing sleep, physical activity, and nutrition.
Blanca Tardieu, P. Pons, Teresa López de Coca et al.· bioRxiv· 0 citations
Mental health issues are an increasing challenge for public health, affecting all populations, especially women. This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among reproductive-aged women. This study was conducted on a sample of 376 Iranian women aged 20-50. Socio-demographic status, dietary intake, physical activity, mental health status, and anthropometric status were assessed using a general demographic questionnaire, a food frequency questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42) questionnaire, and a digital scale and wall-mounted stadiometer, respectively. To assess the association of mental problems with potential factors, binary logistic regression was used. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms was 47.6%, 52.4%, and 38.3%, respectively. In the adjusted analysis, a higher wealth index (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12-0.66) and higher dietary diversity (OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.12-0.46) were associated with lower odds of depression. Larger household size (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.06-2.74) and higher dietary diversity (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17-0.61) were associated with anxiety, while overweight (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.28-3.49) and higher dietary diversity (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.24-0.87) were associated with stress. Findings revealed a high prevalence of mental health issues among Iranian women. Several factors, especially dietary quality, can influence mental health. Further studies with larger sample sizes and a prospective cohort design are necessary to understand this relationship better.
