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Dietary inflammatory index and depressive symptoms in Chinese university students leveraging an intelligent ordering system: 3-year longitudinal prospective cohort study
Depression represents a significant cause of disability worldwide, with its prevalence notably rising among university students in China. Research indicates that inflammation is crucial in the development of depressive symptoms and that the dietary inflammatory potential may modulate systemic inflammation, consequently impacting mental health outcomes.
Given these associations, a longitudinal study was conducted over three years involving 5,314 students from a Shanghai university. Participants needed to meet specific dietary criteria, including at least 86 days of cafeteria dining each year. Data were collected systematically using the Intelligent Ordering System (IOS) from April 2020 to March 2023, enabling the calculation of Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores. Additionally, depressive symptoms were evaluated annually using the Beck Depression Inventory-II from March 2021 to March 2023.
The research found that the baseline prevalence of depressive symptoms was 10.75%, with higher incidence rates observed in female students (11.76%) compared to males (9.74%). Notably, when adjusting for various factors, participants categorized in lower DII quartiles, indicating a more anti-inflammatory diet, demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of developing depressive symptoms. Specifically, the odds ratios for those without depressive symptoms at baseline were as follows: Q1 (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.16-0.47), Q2 (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.33-0.84), and Q3 (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.16-0.42).
Further subgroup analysis revealed that the protective effect of a lower DII was particularly pronounced among students with positive family relationships and those not facing poverty. In contrast, no significant associations were found pertaining to the improvement of depressive symptoms in participants who exhibited depressive symptoms at the outset of the study.
This investigation stands out as one of the few to conduct a longitudinal exploration of the relationship between dietary inflammatory potential and depressive symptoms, using objective measures rather than relying solely on self-reported dietary habits. The findings emphasize that ongoing adherence to anti-inflammatory dietary patterns correlates with a diminished risk of experiencing depressive symptoms among this demographic. However, the association appears to be less robust in individuals facing familial strife or socioeconomic challenges. The outcomes of this study advocate for integrated interventions on university campuses that meld dietary education with psychological support. [NPID: Inflammation, depression, university]
Year: 2026
