Self-reported Food Allergy and Intolerance among College Undergraduates: Associations with Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

Jiabi Chen; Angela Spleen; Amy E. Adkins; Danielle M. Dick; Christopher M. Warren; Sally B. Mountcastle

doi:10.1080/87568225.2020.1753610

Self-reported Food Allergy and Intolerance among College Undergraduates: Associations with Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

Jiabi Chen^*, Angela Spleen, Amy E. Adkins, Danielle M. Dick, Christopher M. Warren, Sally B. Mountcastle

^*Corresponding author for this work

Preventive Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of food allergy (FA) and intolerance and estimate associations with anxiety and depression in a diverse sample of young adults. Participants: Undergraduates at a major university (n = 1,574) enrolled in the Spit for Science cohort study. Methods: Participants completed self-report assessments of current FA and/or intolerance as well as anxiety and depressive symptoms using the Symptom Checklist-90. Results: The estimated prevalence of any current, physician-diagnosed FA was 7.6% (n = 119), while 14.6% (n = 227) reported at least one food intolerance. The most reported allergies were tree nut (3.1%) and peanut (2.6%). Any FA was associated with higher depressive symptom scores (β: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.03–1.54). Any food intolerance was associated with higher depressive (β: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.70–1.83) and anxiety (β: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.71–1.67) symptom scores. Conclusion: Living with a FA and/or intolerance is associated with greater internalizing symptoms among a cohort of US college students.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-22
Number of pages	22
Journal	Journal of College Student Psychotherapy
Volume	36
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/87568225.2020.1753610
State	Published - 2022

Funding

Spit for Science has been supported by Virginia Commonwealth University, P20 AA017828, R37AA011408, K02AA018755, and P50 AA022537 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and UL1RR031990 from the National Center for Research Resources and National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research. We would like to thank the Spit for Science participants for making this study a success, as well as the many University faculty, students, and staff who contributed to the design and implementation of the project. Spit for Science has been supported by Virginia Commonwealth University, P20 AA017828, R37AA011408, K02AA018755, and P50 AA022537 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and UL1RR031990 from the National Center for Research Resources and National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research. We would like to thank the Spit for Science participants for making this study a success, as well as the many University faculty, students, and staff who contributed to the design and implementation of the project.

Keywords

Food allergy
anxiety
college students
depression
food intolerance

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Clinical Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/87568225.2020.1753610

Cite this

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title = "Self-reported Food Allergy and Intolerance among College Undergraduates: Associations with Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms",

abstract = "Objective: To determine the prevalence of food allergy (FA) and intolerance and estimate associations with anxiety and depression in a diverse sample of young adults. Participants: Undergraduates at a major university (n = 1,574) enrolled in the Spit for Science cohort study. Methods: Participants completed self-report assessments of current FA and/or intolerance as well as anxiety and depressive symptoms using the Symptom Checklist-90. Results: The estimated prevalence of any current, physician-diagnosed FA was 7.6% (n = 119), while 14.6% (n = 227) reported at least one food intolerance. The most reported allergies were tree nut (3.1%) and peanut (2.6%). Any FA was associated with higher depressive symptom scores (β: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.03–1.54). Any food intolerance was associated with higher depressive (β: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.70–1.83) and anxiety (β: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.71–1.67) symptom scores. Conclusion: Living with a FA and/or intolerance is associated with greater internalizing symptoms among a cohort of US college students.",

keywords = "Food allergy, anxiety, college students, depression, food intolerance",

author = "Jiabi Chen and Angela Spleen and Adkins, {Amy E.} and Dick, {Danielle M.} and Warren, {Christopher M.} and Mountcastle, {Sally B.}",

note = "Funding Information: Spit for Science has been supported by Virginia Commonwealth University, P20 AA017828, R37AA011408, K02AA018755, and P50 AA022537 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and UL1RR031990 from the National Center for Research Resources and National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research. We would like to thank the Spit for Science participants for making this study a success, as well as the many University faculty, students, and staff who contributed to the design and implementation of the project. Funding Information: Spit for Science has been supported by Virginia Commonwealth University, P20 AA017828, R37AA011408, K02AA018755, and P50 AA022537 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and UL1RR031990 from the National Center for Research Resources and National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research. We would like to thank the Spit for Science participants for making this study a success, as well as the many University faculty, students, and staff who contributed to the design and implementation of the project. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Taylor & Francis.",

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doi = "10.1080/87568225.2020.1753610",

language = "English (US)",

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AU - Spleen, Angela

AU - Adkins, Amy E.

AU - Dick, Danielle M.

AU - Warren, Christopher M.

AU - Mountcastle, Sally B.

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N2 - Objective: To determine the prevalence of food allergy (FA) and intolerance and estimate associations with anxiety and depression in a diverse sample of young adults. Participants: Undergraduates at a major university (n = 1,574) enrolled in the Spit for Science cohort study. Methods: Participants completed self-report assessments of current FA and/or intolerance as well as anxiety and depressive symptoms using the Symptom Checklist-90. Results: The estimated prevalence of any current, physician-diagnosed FA was 7.6% (n = 119), while 14.6% (n = 227) reported at least one food intolerance. The most reported allergies were tree nut (3.1%) and peanut (2.6%). Any FA was associated with higher depressive symptom scores (β: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.03–1.54). Any food intolerance was associated with higher depressive (β: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.70–1.83) and anxiety (β: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.71–1.67) symptom scores. Conclusion: Living with a FA and/or intolerance is associated with greater internalizing symptoms among a cohort of US college students.

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Self-reported Food Allergy and Intolerance among College Undergraduates: Associations with Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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