Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Department of Food and Nutrition, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA 15705, USA.
Nutrients. 2022 Feb 12;14(4):775. doi: 10.3390/nu14040775.
The prevalence of mental health concerns among university students in the United States (U.S.) continues to increase, while current treatments, including medication and counseling, present shortcomings. Higher dairy and calcium intakes are associated with protective effects on mental health; however, previous studies have focused on investigating singular relationships between dairy and calcium intakes and mental health measures. A more complex exploration of these relationships is warranted to better examine whether increasing dairy and calcium intakes could serve as an intervention to improve mental health. The present study sought to further characterize the relationships between dairy and calcium intake, perceived stress, and a variety of mental health measures using linear regression and moderation analyses.
The present cross-sectional study involved students studying at three large U.S. universities, and data collection occurred from April to May 2020 when students were learning remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey comprising validated tools was distributed among students to assess dairy and calcium intake, perceived stress, anxiety, negative and positive moods, rumination, and resilience, sleep quality and duration, dietary risk, and physical activity.
A total of 1233 students completed the study. Higher dairy and calcium intake was coincident with lower perceived stress and higher positive mood scores, while higher calcium intake was also coincident with lower anxiety, rumination, and higher resilience scores. Additionally, as calcium intake increased, the relationship between perceived stress and anxiety and the relationship between perceived stress and negative mood weakened. Dairy intake did not have this effect.
Based on the results, and considering that calcium is a shortfall nutrient, universities should consider initiating programs and public health campaigns to promote dairy and calcium intake among this population.
美国大学生心理健康问题的发生率持续上升，而目前的治疗方法，包括药物治疗和心理咨询，都存在不足。增加乳制品和钙的摄入量与心理健康保护作用有关；然而，以前的研究集中于调查乳制品和钙摄入量与心理健康测量之间的单一关系。更复杂地探索这些关系是有必要的，以更好地研究增加乳制品和钙的摄入量是否可以作为改善心理健康的干预措施。本研究旨在进一步描述乳制品和钙摄入量、感知压力与各种心理健康测量之间的关系，采用线性回归和调节分析。
本横断面研究涉及在美国三所大型大学学习的学生，数据收集于 2020 年 4 月至 5 月期间进行，当时由于 COVID-19 大流行，学生远程学习。一项包含经过验证的工具的在线调查在学生中进行，以评估乳制品和钙的摄入量、感知压力、焦虑、负面和积极情绪、沉思和韧性、睡眠质量和持续时间、饮食风险和身体活动。
共有 1233 名学生完成了这项研究。较高的乳制品和钙摄入量与较低的感知压力和较高的积极情绪评分相关，而较高的钙摄入量也与较低的焦虑、沉思和较高的韧性评分相关。此外，随着钙摄入量的增加，感知压力与焦虑之间的关系以及感知压力与负面情绪之间的关系减弱。乳制品摄入量没有这种影响。
根据这些结果，考虑到钙是一种不足的营养素，大学应该考虑启动计划和公共卫生运动，以促进这一人群的乳制品和钙的摄入量。
Zotero 插件