The association of diet quality with the mental health of students during their transition to university

University students often face challenges related to mental health and diet quality during their transition to university life. This study by Solomou, Robinson & Perez-Algorta (2024) aimed to explore the bidirectional relationship between diet quality and mental health among first-year undergraduate students in the UK, as well as the effect of the university transition on these factors. The study was carried out in the first semester of the 2021–2022 school year using a cross-sectional design. Participants were first-year students living in student halls at four UK universities. Participants answered several online questionnaires, including College Adjustment Questionnaire (CAQ), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), and a diet quality evaluation using the Short Form Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Data analysis showed that, although harmful eating habits were connected to poor mental health, a healthy diet improved mental health. However, the link between nutrition quality and mental health did not seem to be impacted by the move to a university. Preliminary analysis revealed that a smooth transition to university was directly associated with better mental health, but did not affect diet quality. There were no discernible direct or indirect impacts on the quality of the diet. To confirm these early results, more research is required. The results of this study may inform university policies and health education programs. More investigation is required to determine whether enhancing university-level food quality might lessen mental health problems and whether helping stressed-out students develop better eating habits. Longitudinal research are required to better understand the dynamic between food quality and mental health over time, while cross-sectional studies are unable to establish cause-and-effect linkages. [NPID: Mental health, diet quality, university students, College Adjustment Questionnaire, diet habits, health interventions, longitudinal studies, university policies]

Year: 2024

Reference: Solomou, S., Robinson, H., & Perez-Algorta, G. (2024). The association of diet quality with the mental health of students during their transition to university. PLOS ONE, 19(10), e0312123. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312123

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