Mental Well-Being And Fruit And Vegetable Intake Of Students Studying At Abia State University:- Ogbonna, Collins C

ABSTRACT x Mental well-being among university students is an emerging public health concern, particularly as changing dietary patterns influence young adults in developing countries. While studies outside Nigeria have linked fruit and vegetable intake with mental well-being, evidence within the country remains limited. This study examined the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and mental well-being among undergraduate students in Abia State University. A cross-sectional survey using a multi-stage sampling technique was conducted, with five departments selected by simple random sampling. Data were collected from 146 students through a structured self-administered questionnaire, capturing sociodemographic characteristics, fruit and vegetable intake, and mental well-being assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percentages) summarized the data, and the Chi-square test determined associations at a 5% significance level. The mean age of respondents was 22.12 ± 2.80 years. Overall, 65.1% of students had good mental well-being, while 34.9% had poor mental well-being. About 27.9% did not consume fruit daily, and 41.1% did not consume vegetables. Overall, 69.2% did not meet the recommended combined daily intake of fruits and vegetables. No significant association was observed between individual fruit intake (p = 0.251) or vegetable intake (p = 0.590) and mental well-being; however, combined intake of fruits and vegetables was significantly associated with better mental well-being (p = 0.04; cramer’s v = 0.213). The exclusion of other dietary and psychosocial factors limits the generalizability of findings. Adequate combined intake of fruits and vegetables may enhance mental well-being; universities should introduce nutrition-focused interventions to promote healthy eating behaviors.