Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University students
ObjectivesA prevalent symptom of many mental health issues, such as depression, is anhedonia, which is the inability to feel joy or pleasure. Tension-induced sensations, anxious thoughts, and bodily alterations are the hallmarks of anxiety. One known environmental factor that affects mental health i...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1445125/full |
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| author | Sarah Alrehaili Sarah Alrehaili Abeer A. Afifi Abeer A. Afifi Reham M. Algheshairy Taqwa Bushnaq Talal Ali F. Alharbi Hend F. Alharbi |
| author_facet | Sarah Alrehaili Sarah Alrehaili Abeer A. Afifi Abeer A. Afifi Reham M. Algheshairy Taqwa Bushnaq Talal Ali F. Alharbi Hend F. Alharbi |
| author_sort | Sarah Alrehaili |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivesA prevalent symptom of many mental health issues, such as depression, is anhedonia, which is the inability to feel joy or pleasure. Tension-induced sensations, anxious thoughts, and bodily alterations are the hallmarks of anxiety. One known environmental factor that affects mental health is diet. In this implication, eating appetizing meals has been proposed to reduce unpleasant feelings like worry. This study aimed to indicate whether eating habits among postgraduate students are related to symptoms of anhedonia and/or anxiety.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, responses were collected from a total of 393 postgraduate students. Each student self-answered the General Anxiety Disorder-7, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale for Anhedonia, and the Food Consumption Questionnaire and reported the body weight.ResultsThe prevalence of anhedonia was 28%, moderate anxiety and severe anxiety were 15.7 and 10.9%, respectively. In this research, results showed that sugary foods, fast food, and fried foods were positively associated with anxiety and anhedonia. However, fruits and vegetables were negatively associated with anxiety and anhedonia. Linear regression showed that fruit and drinking water consumption was significant with the number of meals/day. There was no significance between the number of meals per day and anhedonia; however, there was statistical significance with the total GAD-7 scale score regarding the number of meals/per day.ConclusionAnhedonia and anxiety are associated with food consumption, especially foods rich in sugars, fast and fried, which help to increase positive feelings. Future studies should focus on understanding the relationship between food consumption and following a healthy diet and improving and reducing symptoms of anxiety and anhedonia in those who suffer from a stressful or task-filled lifestyle, such as students, especially postgraduate students. In addition, it focuses on the importance of awareness of the symptoms of anhedonia, which is classified as a depressive disease, and how to control anxiety to maintain better mental health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dadd8b51a11a41c089b42d267008eb78 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-dadd8b51a11a41c089b42d267008eb782025-08-20T01:47:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2024-10-011110.3389/fnut.2024.14451251445125Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University studentsSarah Alrehaili0Sarah Alrehaili1Abeer A. Afifi2Abeer A. Afifi3Reham M. Algheshairy4Taqwa Bushnaq5Talal Ali F. Alharbi6Hend F. Alharbi7Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Food, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Nutrition, Buraidah Central Hospital, Qassim Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Buraydah, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Food, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi ArabiaNutrition and Food Science Department, Food Industries and Nutrition Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, EgyptDepartment of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Food, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Psychiatric, Mental Health and Community Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Food, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi ArabiaObjectivesA prevalent symptom of many mental health issues, such as depression, is anhedonia, which is the inability to feel joy or pleasure. Tension-induced sensations, anxious thoughts, and bodily alterations are the hallmarks of anxiety. One known environmental factor that affects mental health is diet. In this implication, eating appetizing meals has been proposed to reduce unpleasant feelings like worry. This study aimed to indicate whether eating habits among postgraduate students are related to symptoms of anhedonia and/or anxiety.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, responses were collected from a total of 393 postgraduate students. Each student self-answered the General Anxiety Disorder-7, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale for Anhedonia, and the Food Consumption Questionnaire and reported the body weight.ResultsThe prevalence of anhedonia was 28%, moderate anxiety and severe anxiety were 15.7 and 10.9%, respectively. In this research, results showed that sugary foods, fast food, and fried foods were positively associated with anxiety and anhedonia. However, fruits and vegetables were negatively associated with anxiety and anhedonia. Linear regression showed that fruit and drinking water consumption was significant with the number of meals/day. There was no significance between the number of meals per day and anhedonia; however, there was statistical significance with the total GAD-7 scale score regarding the number of meals/per day.ConclusionAnhedonia and anxiety are associated with food consumption, especially foods rich in sugars, fast and fried, which help to increase positive feelings. Future studies should focus on understanding the relationship between food consumption and following a healthy diet and improving and reducing symptoms of anxiety and anhedonia in those who suffer from a stressful or task-filled lifestyle, such as students, especially postgraduate students. In addition, it focuses on the importance of awareness of the symptoms of anhedonia, which is classified as a depressive disease, and how to control anxiety to maintain better mental health.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1445125/fulldietfood intakedietary intakenutritionanhedoniaanxiety |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Alrehaili Sarah Alrehaili Abeer A. Afifi Abeer A. Afifi Reham M. Algheshairy Taqwa Bushnaq Talal Ali F. Alharbi Hend F. Alharbi Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University students Frontiers in Nutrition diet food intake dietary intake nutrition anhedonia anxiety |
| title | Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University students |
| title_full | Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University students |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University students |
| title_short | Prevalence of anhedonia, anxiety, and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate Qassim University students |
| title_sort | prevalence of anhedonia anxiety and their impact on food consumption among postgraduate qassim university students |
| topic | diet food intake dietary intake nutrition anhedonia anxiety |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1445125/full |
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