Dietary Intake and Depression Status Among College Students: A Pilot Study

Objectives: The aim of this pilot study is to assess dietary patterns and nutrient intake in relation to depressive symptom severity. Methods: Surveys were disseminated to 281 college students. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was included in the survey. CES-D total scores indicated mild (scores: 10–15), moderate (scores: 16-24) or severe (scores: ≥25) self-reported depression symptoms or no depression (scores: 0-9). Food intake was assessed using survey questions related to the 10 food categories highlighted by the "Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay" (MIND) diet. A subsample of Black student respondents (n=38) completed food diary entries from two weekdays and one weekend day. The data was then entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) software to assess nutrient intake. Results: Over half of the survey participants (59%) self-reported moderate to severe depression and 55% of the subsample self-reported similar depression symptom severity status. Survey responses to the MIND diet-related questions found only 29% of respondents consumed vegetables daily compared to over 50% indicating consumption of fried foods multiple times per week. Among the subsample of Black college student participants, food diaries also indicate multiple micronutrient deficiencies associated with depression, including vitamin D and magnesium. Conclusions: Preliminary data indicates many participants self-reported high levels of depressive symptom severity while also reporting low intake of daily food groups (i.e. vegetables). Furthermore, food diaries indicate deficiencies in micronutrients associated with depression status. Future analyses upon completion of the study may confirm significant associations among dietary intake, nutrient deficiencies, and depression status. Funding Sources: This research was supported by the Division of Nutritional Sciences-Vision 20/20 grant.