The influence of early diet quality on the mental health of college students: the mediation effects of height and qi-deficiency

Front Public Health. 2024 Apr 9:12:1363866. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1363866. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: In China, the prevalence of mental health issues among college students is a significant concern in society. This study aims to investigate the impact of early dietary quality on the psychological well-being of college students and elucidate the underlying mechanisms through which these effects occur, specifically focusing on height and qi-deficiency as mediators according to Chinese traditional medicine (CTM).

Methods: A total of 655 college students were surveyed in October 2023 using paper-pencil-based questionnaires at four second-tier universities in Sichuan Province. The assessment included mental health, height, and qi-deficiency. Pearson's correlation and linear regression analyses were employed to examine the mediation model and test the hypotheses.

Results: The college students exhibited acceptable levels of early diet quality (M = 3.72) and mental health (M = 3.63), while also presenting mild qi-deficiency symptoms (M = 2.25). Their average height was measured at 164.61 cm. Early diet quality demonstrated significant associations with mental health (r = 0.38, p < 0.01), height (r = 0.32, p < 0.01), and qi-deficiency (r = -0.32, p < 0.01). Mental health displayed correlations with height (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) and qi-deficiency (r = -0.49, p < 0.01). The results of linear regression analyses revealed significant associations between early diet quality and mental health (β = 0.31, p < 0.01), height (β = 0.21, p < 0.01), as well as qi-deficiency (β = -0.26, p < 0.01). Furthermore, when early diet quality was included in the regression model, both height (β = 0.21, p < 0.01) and qi-deficiency (β = -0.35, p < 0.01) emerged as significant mediators in the relationship with mental health.

Conclusion: The mediation model and hypotheses were strongly supported, demonstrating that early diet quality exerted an influence on the mental health of college students through two distinct pathways: height and qi-deficiency. Moreover, the mediating effect of qi-deficiency was found to be more pronounced than that of height in the relationship between early diet quality and mental health among college students.

Keywords: Chinese traditional medicine; early diet quality; height; mental health; qi-deficiency.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Body Height*
  • China
  • Diet* / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Mental Health* / statistics & numerical data
  • Qi*
  • Students* / psychology
  • Students* / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Universities
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was supported by College Teachers’ mental health: self induced and prevention under pressure (Xichang college, LGLS202201), Research Project on Higher Education Teaching Reform of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission “Research on the Education Path of Chinese Ethnic Community Awareness in Universities in Ethnic Regions Based on Cultural Identity” (ZL21093), and Key Project of the 14th Five Year Plan for Social Science Research in Sichuan Province “Research on Education of Chinese Ethnic Community Awareness in Schools in Ethnic Regions Based on Cultural Identity” (SC22A008).