Relationship between psychological distress and the adherence to the Korean healthy eating index (KHEI): the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2013 and 2015

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#This study examined the association of depressive symptoms, stress perception, and suicidal ideation with overall dietary quality using the newly developed Korean healthy eating index (KHEI). @*SUBJECTS/METHODS@#This study included 9,607 adults (3,939 men and 5,668 women, ≥ 19 years) who participated in the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013 and 2015. The KHEI scores were calculated using the food frequency questionnaire data. Survey logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the association between psychiatric distress and dietary quality. @*RESULTS@#The percentage of subjects with experience of depressive mood, higher stress perception, and suicidal ideation was 8.2%, 25.0%, and 3.7% in men and 15.4%, 27.3%, and 6.0% in women, respectively. The mean KHEI score was 61.5 ± 0.29 in men and 64.8 ± 0.24 in women (P 0.05 for all). @*CONCLUSIONS@#Poor adherence to dietary recommendations is associated with psychological distress, especially in women.