Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41267996›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in nutrition2025

Associations between diet quality, food insecurity, physical activity, social connectedness and depressive symptomology in Australian university students: a cross-sectional study.

Simone O'Neill, Michelle Minehan, Catherine R Knight-Agarwal, Vivienne Lewis, David B Pyne

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Simone O'NeillResearch Institute for Sport and Exercise, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Michelle MinehanResearch Institute for Sport and Exercise, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Catherine R Knight-AgarwalFaculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Vivienne LewisFaculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
David B PyneResearch Institute for Sport and Exercise, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: Rising prevalence of depression demands focus on modifiable factors to improve mental health outcomes. An inverse relationship has been identified between diet quality and depressive symptomology. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine how food insecurity, physical activity and social connectedness contribute to the relationship between diet quality and depressive symptomology. Methods: Data was collected from adult university students ( Results: The university student cohort was characterized by mild-severe depression (70%) and severe food insecurity (25%). The results showed increased food insecurity and physical activity (Metabolic Equivalent Task minutes/week) account for 11% and 9% of the variation seen in DASS-21 depression scores, respectively. Diet quality and social connections were not found to have a significant association with depressive symptomology. Conclusion: It appears that food insecurity could be a contributing factor impacting depressive symptomology, and if addressed effectively could improve mood disorder treatments. The relationship between physical activity and depression is counterintuitive and warrants further investigation. Implementing evidence-based holistic interventions that address food insecurity should be considered to support the mental health of university students.

Indexed as

community networksdiet qualityfood insecuritymajor depressive disordermental health

Identifiers

PMID41267996
PMCPMC12626994

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.