Sedgi Fatemeh Maleki, Hejazi Jalal, Derakhshi Reza, Baghdadi Ghazal, Zarmakhi Melinaz, Hamidi Mana, Mansori Kamyar, Dadashi Mohsen, Rahimlou Mehran
Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research Institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Front Nutr. 2025 Mar 10;12:1519726. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1519726. eCollection 2025.
Depression is a psychological condition characterized by a persistent low mood. This study investigates the relationship between depressive symptoms and food preferences in undergraduate students.
A cross-sectional design was employed among 502 students at Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. Data collection included validated questionnaires on food preferences, depression levels (Beck Depression Inventory), and physical activity (IPAQ), along with anthropometric measurements. Food preferences were analyzed for six groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat/fish, and snacks. Depression severity was categorized into six levels based on BDI scores: normal (1-9), mild (10-16), borderline (17-20), moderate (21-30), severe (31-40), and very severe (41-63). Depression risk was defined as the odds of belonging to a higher Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) category.
Participants with severe depression had lower preferences for grains, fruits, and vegetables but higher preferences for snacks. Adjusted analyses revealed that higher preferences for fruits (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68-0.98) and vegetables (OR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.71-0.94) were significantly associated with reduced depression risk, while snack preferences increased risk (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.03-1.68). However, the association between grain preferences and depression risk was not statistically significant after adjustment (OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.74-1.03).
These findings highlight the bidirectional link between diet and mental health, underscoring the importance of dietary interventions in mental health strategies.
抑郁症是一种以持续情绪低落为特征的心理状态。本研究调查了本科生抑郁症状与食物偏好之间的关系。
对赞詹医科大学的502名学生采用横断面设计。数据收集包括关于食物偏好、抑郁水平（贝克抑郁量表）和身体活动（国际体力活动问卷）的有效问卷，以及人体测量数据。对谷物、水果、蔬菜、乳制品、肉类/鱼类和零食六组食物偏好进行了分析。根据贝克抑郁量表得分，将抑郁严重程度分为六个等级：正常（1 - 9）、轻度（10 - 16）、边缘性（17 - 20）、中度（21 - 30）、重度（31 - 40）和极重度（41 - 63）。抑郁风险定义为属于较高贝克抑郁量表（BDI）类别的几率。
重度抑郁症患者对谷物、水果和蔬菜的偏好较低，但对零食的偏好较高。调整分析显示，对水果（比值比：0.79；95%置信区间：0.68 - 0.98）和蔬菜（比值比：0.81；95%置信区间：0.71 - 0.94）的较高偏好与降低抑郁风险显著相关，而对零食的偏好增加了风险（比值比：1.28；95%置信区间：1.03 - 1.68）。然而，调整后谷物偏好与抑郁风险之间的关联无统计学意义（比值比：0.82；95%置信区间：0.74 - 1.03）。
这些发现突出了饮食与心理健康之间的双向联系，强调了饮食干预在心理健康策略中的重要性。
