Association between FODMAP intake and depressive symptoms in Indonesian university students
1 Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, Indonesia.
2 Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Research Article
International Journal of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences Archive, 2026, 11(01), 012-019
Article DOI: 10.53771/ijbpsa.2026.11.1.0011
Publication history:
Received on 12 December 2025; revised on 20 January 2026; accepted on 22 January 2026
Abstract:
Depression is common among university students and may be influenced by dietary patterns. Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) affect gastrointestinal function and may interact with the gut–brain axis; however, evidence on FODMAP intake and depressive symptoms remains limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to examine the association between FODMAP intake and depression levels among university students. An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted from September to November 2025. A total of 156 students from the Faculty of Dentistry were selected using simple random sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect data on sex, living arrangement, physical activity, sleep duration, social media use duration, FODMAP intake, and depression level. FODMAP intake was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and categorised as frequent or infrequent. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and categorised as not depressed (score 0–4) or depressed (score ≥5). Chi-square test was used to determine the association between FODMAP intake and depression levels with a significance level of p<0.05. Our study results showed that most participants were female (81.4%) and reported infrequent FODMAP intake (79.5%). Depression (PHQ-9 ≥5) was observed in 63.5% of participants. Depression was present in 62.5% of students with frequent FODMAP intake and 63.7% of those with infrequent intake. There was no statistically significant association between FODMAP intake and depression level (p=1.000). Future studies using more sensitive dietary assessment and controlling for potential confounders are warranted.
Keywords:
FODMAP; Depression; University Students; Food Frequency Questionnaire; PHQ-9
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