A pilot study of the relationship between diet and mental health in female university students enrolled in a training course for registered dietitians

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the present pilot study was to investigate the link between diet and mental health in female university students enrolled in a training course for registered dietitians. Subjects and methods: A total of 62 female university students, with a mean age of 18.79 ± 0.45 years, participated in this cross-sectional study. Diet surveys were performed using the brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ). Mental health was also evaluated using the general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), which was the shortest form and clinically available. Lifestyles such as physical activity levels were also evaluated. Results: The mean energy intake was 1379 ± 575 kcal and the mean GHQ score was 3.11 ± 2.41. Among nutrients, vegetable fat and sucrose showed a weak positive correlation with the GHQ scores. Among food groups, potatoes, fats and oils, and confectioneries also showed a weak positive correlation with the GHQ scores. A multiple regression analysis showed that the confectioneries were the determining factor for the GHQ scores. Conclusion: Proper education concerning their diets and reducing confectioneries in their daily lives might be beneficial for the mental health of female university students.