Association between common mental disorders and dietary intake among university students doing health-related courses

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the association between common mental disorders (CMD) and dietary intake among Brazilian undergraduate students doing health-related courses. We interviewed 432 students enrolled at a public university in Fortaleza, the capital of the State of Ceará, between April and December 2018. The students were screened for CMD using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Food consumption and physical activity were assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF), respectively. We used linear regression to measure the association between energy and nutrient intake and positive screening for CMD. The models were adjusted for age, gender and physical activity. Overall prevalence of CMD was 44.5% and the rate was higher in women than in men. Individuals who screened positive for CMD practiced less physical activity and reported higher mean intake of added sugar and saturated fat and lower mean fiber intake, regardless of age, gender, and level of physical activity. Our findings show that the prevalence of CMD among undergraduate students doing health-related courses was high and that the presence of potential CMD was associated with higher intake of added sugar and saturated fats and lower fiber intake.

Key words: Mental disorders; Students; Food consumption; Lifestyle