Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of mental health problems among university students is high, with women exhibiting a higher frequency of depressive and anxious symptoms. Objective: To evaluate the association between eating habits and levels of depression, anxiety, and stress of students at a public university in southern Chile. Materials and method: A quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out, with a sample of 382 university students, dependent quantitative variables such as levels of depression, stress, anxiety and eating habits were analyzed, along with questions related to socio-educational characterization. A correlation was observed between levels of depression, stress, and anxiety and the increase in unhealthy eating habits in the study population. Results: Women presented statistically higher levels of depression (66.9%), stress (70.3%) and anxiety (82.4%), compared to men, and there was evidence of low compliance with the recommendations of the dietary guidelines for the Chilean population on the frequency of consumption. A correlation was observed between levels of depression, stress, and anxiety and the increase in unhealthy eating habits in the study population. Conclusions: There is an association between eating habits and levels of depression, stress, and anxiety in university students. The importance of promoting healthy lifestyle habits and a university environment that encourages mental health care to improve the general well-being of students is highlighted.