Association Between Food Intake and Mood Status in Students at The Faculdade De Saúde Pública - Usp During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the food intake and its relationship to mood status in undergraduate and graduate students at the Faculdade de Saúde Pública - USP. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, carried out during the pandemic period, from July to October 2021. Food intake and mood status were assessed using an online food frequency questionnaire and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), respectively. Results: Most of the sample showed symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress. There was an association (p-value < 0.05) between the intake of “sweets and desserts” and the presentation of symptoms of stress and the “soups and pasta”; “rice and tubers”, “greens and vegetables”, “legumes” and “bread and cookies” groups and presentation of anxiety symptoms, as well as the association between the weekly intake of the “meat and fish”; “legumes and eggs”; “rice and tubers” and “sweets and desserts” groups according to the course. Conclusions: Studies that delve more deeply into the psychological phenomena involved in food intake are needed so that adequate nutritional strategies can be developed.