Exploring the association between vegetable intake, mental health, and readiness to change in college students

This study examined the association between vegetable intake and mental health indicators, specifically perceived stress and depression symptoms, and it assessed whether a brief animated educational video targeted at young adults could increase readiness to improve vegetable consumption. Participants were 270 undergraduate students with average daily vegetable intake of 1.12 cups (SD = 0.88). Participants completed an online survey with pre- and post-video assessments measuring daily vegetable intake, perceived stress, depression symptoms, and stage of change for vegetable intake. Descriptive and correlation analyses and nonparametric tests were conducted. Findings indicated higher vegetable intake was associated with lower perceived stress and depressive symptoms. The video intervention was effective in improving stage of change, but only among participants who were initially in the precontemplation stage. Results highlight a relationship between vegetable intake and mental health in college students and suggest that brief, scalable interventions may be effective for individuals not yet considering behavior change.