Higher Intakes of Soft Drinks Are Associated With Anxiety, Depression, and Bone Mineral Density Among University Students

Abstract

This cross-sectional study was used to investigate the association of carbonated soft drink (CSD) intake with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and bone health in university students in Pakistan. Daily intake of CSDs was significantly correlated with an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and low bone mineral density (BMD) (P-trend = .000) compared with consumption of less than 1 CSD per week. About one-third of participants reported a moderate anxiety level, 26.4% reported a moderate depression level, and 7.8% reported a severe depression level. Furthermore, 67.2% of participants classified with osteopenia and 8.6% classified with osteoporosis. University students having high consumption of CSDs had significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression, and low BMD.