Association between Food Choice and Mental Health Status among Undergraduate Students in a Public University, Health Campus in Malaysia
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the association between food choice and mental health status among undergraduate students in a public university, health campus in Malaysia. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students aged 18–25 years old using a convenience sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire included 12-item food frequency questionnaires and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to collect data from176 participants. The data were analysed using SPSS version 26. Results indicated not all food groups had significant association with depression, anxiety and stress. No association were found between food groups and depression for both genders. Fish/seafood (p=0.016) and cereal/cereal products (p=0.031) consumption significantly associated to anxiety for male student while cereal/cereal products (p=0.038) consumption was significantly associated with anxiety among female students. Furthermore, a significant association was found between snacks consumption (p=0.001) and stress level among male students, while consumption of fresh fruits (p<0.001), dairy/dairy products (p=0.023) and cereal/cereal products (p=0.035) was significantly associated with stress levels among female students. In conclusion, certain food choices do have some association to mental health status. Further investigations are needed to improve our understanding of the complex pathways through which food choices can influence mental health status, particularly the frequent intake of sugar-rich, fatty, and processed foods may contribute to adverse mental health outcomes, while healthier food choices like fruits and dairy products appear to offer a protective effect.
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