The Japanese Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics

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Objective: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between depressive symptoms and frequency of food intake in university students, in order to identify foods related to a depressive tendency.
Methods: The investigation was carried out through administering a questionnaire to 192 university students, and responses from 138 students were analyzed. The level of depressive tendency was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. The frequency of intake of 162 foods was assessed with a 6-point scale (“never,” “once a week,” “2-3 times a week,” “4-6 times a week,” “once a day,” or “several times a day”), and the responses were scored from 0-5. The score on the CES-D Scale was evaluated with a cut-off point of 26. Those scoring <26 constituted the low CES-D score group, while those scoring ≥26 constituted the high CES-D score group. Frequencies of food intake and mean scores of each food group were compared between the two groups.
Results: Men in the high CES-D score group tended to eat less konnyaku while women in the high CES-D score group tended to eat less bread and yoghurt, compared to their counterparts in the low CES-D score group. The mean scores of fruit intake in men and fish in women in the high CES-D score group were significantly lower compared to their counterparts in the low CES-D score group.
Conclusion: The results from university students suggest that the frequencies of intake of some foods and the mean scores of some food groups in the high CES-D score group were lower than those in the low CES-D score group.

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Objective: We investigated the features and applicability of scales that can assess psychosocial factors related with adherence in order to improve adherence to dietary and fluid restrictions among hemodialysis (HD) patients.
Methods: We searched two databases (PubMed and Scopus) and collected articles that developed scales that included psychosocial factors related to adherence among HD patients. Appropriate studies were selected by two researchers, and appropriate scales were organized according to outline of subscales and their validity/reliability.
Results: We selected 10 articles including 7 types of scales. These were grouped into three categories based on psychosocial concepts (self-efficacy, benefits and barriers (Health Belief Model), and general beliefs or attitudes). Although the scales focused on self-efficacy contained high levels of validity and reliability with regard to adherence, those focused on general beliefs or attitudes did not score sufficiently on such indicators.
Conclusions: Using scales focused on psychosocial factors and described in concrete terms may be helpful in improving adherence among HD patients. More studies are required to develop scales focused on HD patients’ beliefs or attitudes, which seemingly have different aspects from patients with other chronic diseases, perhaps because of their specific conditions or restrictions in daily life.

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