The relationship between eating behavior and anxiety, depression, and comorbidity among rural residents in China

Introduction: This study examined the association between eating behavior and anxiety, depression, and comorbidity among rural residents. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the Adult Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance program in Pingnan. Healthy diet scores and dietary patterns were used to assess eating behavior. Two-Step Cluster Analysis (TCA) was employed to determine the dietary patterns. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were applied to estimate anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively. Binary logistic regression models were conducted to explore the effects of healthy diet scores and dietary patterns on anxiety, depression, and comorbidity. Results Binary logistic regression results showed that rural residents with a healthy diet score of 0 and 1 were associated with a higher detection rate for anxiety (OR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.29–4.96; OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.23–4.36, respectively), depression (OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.24–5.66; OR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.20–5.05, respectively), and comorbidity (OR = 3.15, 95% CI = 1.27–7.84; OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.01–5.78, respectively). Those who had “moderately healthy pattern” and “unhealthy pattern” were associated with a higher detection rate of anxiety (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.20–2.34; OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.14–2.50, respectively), depression (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.17–2.39; OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.05–2.45, respectively), and comorbidity (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.20–2.95; OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.29–3.57, respectively). Conclusions Unhealthy eating behavior may be associated with a higher detection rate of anxiety, depression, and comorbidity in rural residents. It is critical to implement dietary intervention programs for rural residents to develop healthy eating behavior attributed to reductions in anxiety and depression.