@misc{10481/102805,
year = {2025},
month = {1},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/102805},
abstract = {Background/objectives: recent studies have suggested that components typical
of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) are associated with depression and anxiety prevention.
In this sense, the main objective of this study was to analyse the associations between
adherence to the MedDiet and depression and anxiety symptoms and to examine whether
this relationship is mediated by lean mass and the muscle strength index (MSI). Methods: a
cross-sectional study (based on data obtained from the Nuts4Brain-Z study) was conducted
from 2023–2024, involving 428 university students, aged 18–30 years, from a Spanish public
university. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and
anxiety was assessed via the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) tool. Adherence to
the MedDiet was assessed using the MEDAS questionnaire. Lean mass was assessed via
bioimpedance, and MSI was measured via a dynamometer. ANCOVA models were used
to test the mean differences in depression and anxiety scores using MEDAS categories (low
adherence < 9 points vs high adherence ≥ 9 points). Serial multiple mediation models,
adjusted for the main confounders, were used to explore the role of lean mass and MSI in
the relationships between adherence to the MedDiet and depression and anxiety symptoms.
Results: university students with high adherence to the MedDiet exhibited lower scores for
depression and anxiety symptoms (p < 0.05) than did students with low adherence to the
MedDiet. The mediation analysis preliminarily revealed that both lean mass and MSI acted
as mediators of the relationships between adherence to the MedDiet and depression and
anxiety. Conclusion:adherence to the MedDiet in university students per se does not appear
to have a direct effect on depression and anxiety symptoms because these associations are
partially (for depression) or entirely (for anxiety) explained by lean mass and MSI.},
organization = {Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain (PI21/01898)},
organization = {Carlos III Health Institute, Spain},
organization = {FEDER funds},
organization = {European Union’s NextGenerationEU initiative},
organization = {European Social Fund+},
organization = {MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 JDC2023-050585-I},
organization = {Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (RD21/0016/0025)},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Mediterranean dietary pattern},
keywords = {Physical fitness},
keywords = {Mental health},
keywords = {Young adults},
title = {The Association Between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in University Students: The Mediating Role of Lean Mass and the Muscle Strength Index},
doi = {10.3390/nu17020346},
author = {Alfaro-González, Sofía and Garrido-Miguel, Miriam and Fernández Rodríguez, Rubén},
}