Objectives: Eating disorders (EDs) have emerged as a growing public health concern. However, the role of sleep in this context remains underexplored. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the associations between sleep parameters and chronotype with ED risk in a sample of university students in Spain. Methods: ED risk was assessed via the Sick, Control, One stone, Fat, Food Questionnaire, and sleep quality was assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Other sleep parameters and chronotypes were self-reported. Sociodemographic, body composition, lifestyle, and depressive symptom data were collected. Logistic and linear regression models adjusted for the main confounders were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the study associations. Results: A total of 403 students (70.2% female) aged 18 to 30 years participated in the study. Those reporting poor sleep quality (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.08–3.17, p = 0.025) and ≤6 h of night-time sleep duration (OR = 4.14, 95% CI 2.00–8.57, p < 0.01) were more likely to be at risk of EDs in the adjusted analyses. The association between night-time sleep duration and the risk of ED did not remain significant when we adjusted for sleep quality. In addition, an evening chronotype was associated with an increased risk of EDs (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.07–2.66, p = 0.039) only before adjustment for confounders. Conclusions: Among university students, poorer sleep quality was cross-sectionally associated with EDs. Future prospective studies are needed to examine whether promoting sleep quality may serve as an effective strategy for preventing the risk of EDs.

Objective: To synthesize the evidence on the associations between vegetarian and vegan diets (VVDs) and eating disorder (ED) symptoms compared with omnivorous diets across the lifespan. Method: Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses ( PRISMA ) 2020 Guidelines, we searched PubMed , Scopus, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO , and Web of Science Databases up to May 1, 2026, with no language or date restrictions. Random effects models with the Hartung–Knapp–Sidik–Jonkman method were used to estimate pooled effect sizes (standardized mean difference [ SMD ] with 95% confidence interval [ CIs ]). Results: We included 24 cross‐sectional studies with a total of 25,223 participants (67.7% female; mean age range: 14.9–49.6 years). ED symptoms did not differ significantly between participants who followed VVDs and those following omnivorous diets in analyses including all eligible studies ( SMD = 0.07; 95% CI : −0.04 to 0.19; I ² = 80.3%; 95% prediction interval: −0.44 to 0.59). Results were unchanged when analyses were restricted to adult populations. No significant differences in ED symptoms were observed according to diet type ( p = 0.524), measurement scale ( p = 0.392), or geographic region ( p = 0.633). In analyses restricted to adults, sex significantly moderated the pooled estimates ( p = 0.028), with studies including a higher proportion of females reporting lower ED symptom scores among individuals following VVDs compared with omnivores. Discussion: ED symptom levels do not appear to differ significantly between individuals following VVDs and those following omnivorous diets. Longitudinal studies accounting for dietary quality, duration of adherence, dietary motivations, and psychosocial factors are also needed to clarify this association.

Background/Objectives: Evidence on the associations between adherence to different plant-based diet indices and depression in young adults remains limited. This study aimed to analyze the associations of overall, healthy, and unhealthy plant-based diet indices with depressive symptoms in university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 with self-reported data from university students in Cuenca, Spain. Adherence to the overall plant-based diet index (PDI) and to the healthy (hPDI) and unhealthy (uPDI) plant-based diet indices were calculated using data from a 137-item food-frequency questionnaire. Mild-to-severe depression was defined as a Beck Depression Inventory II score > 13 points. Linear and logistic regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle-related confounders. Results: A total of 392 students (mean age: 20.9 ± 2.4 years; 70.4% female) were included. The prevalence of mild-to-severe depression was 36.0%. Higher hPDI and overall PDI scores were associated with lower depressive symptom scores, whereas uPDI scores showed a positive but non-significant association after full adjustment. In logistic regression analyses, high adherence to the hPDI was associated with lower odds of mild-to-severe depression (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.28–0.95; p-for-trend = 0.030). In contrast, higher uPDI adherence was associated with greater odds of depression, although the association was attenuated after adjustment for lifestyle-related variables. Conclusions: Greater adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was associated with lower depressive symptoms and lower odds of mild-to-severe depression among university students. These findings highlight the importance of plant food quality, rather than plant-based diets per se, in relation to depression in young adults.

This cross-sectional study examined the role of sleep quality and its individual components in the association between social network addiction and depressive symptoms among 746 university students (20.81 ± 3.99 years; 68.9% female). Validated questionnaires were used to assess social network addiction (Social Networks Addiction-6 brief version), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II), and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). Sociodemographic, body composition, and lifestyle data were assessed as covariates. Statistical analysis included multivariate linear regression, logistic regression and structural equation models adjusted for major confounders. The results showed that sleep quality accounted for 23.9% of the total association between social network addiction and depressive symptoms (indirect association = 0.104, 95% CI: 0.027–0.184, p- value < 0.05). Among sleep quality components, daytime dysfunction due to inadequate sleep accounted for 31.2%, whereas sleep latency and use of sleep medication accounted for 10.1% and 11.3%, respectively ( p -value < 0.05 for all). Future prospective studies should examine whether interventions targeting sleep quality may represent a potential strategy for reducing depressive symptoms associated with SNA in this population.

Background/Objectives: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been associated with numerous health benefits, yet it is often suboptimal among university students. Its relationship with academic performance (AP), an outcome with potential long-term implications, has not been quantitatively synthesized in this population. This study aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the associations between MedDiet adherence and AP in university students. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA 2020 and MOOSE guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024526903). PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 6 August 2026. AP was examined through objective (grade point average, mean academic grade, or university entrance scores) and subjective measures (academic self-concept or perceived academic progress). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were pooled using random-effects models. Subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analyses were performed. Methodological quality was appraised with the NIH tool, and certainty of evidence with GRADE. Results: Twelve cross-sectional studies were included (10,931 students; study-level mean ages: 19.0–25.1 years; 56.7% female). A positive association was observed in the primary analysis of objective AP measures (10 studies; SMD = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.94; I² = 98.2%) and for subjective measures (3 studies; SMD = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.71; I² = 0.0%). The certainty of the evidence was very low. Conclusions: Higher MedDiet adherence may be associated with better AP in university students. However, considerable between-study heterogeneity and very low certainty of the evidence limit confidence in the pooled estimates. Further high-quality longitudinal and intervention studies are needed.

Introduction: Mental disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, represent a leading source of morbidity and disability in young adults, a group increasingly exposed to cumulative psychological processes and environmental stressors. Although evidence links healthy dietary patterns with improved mental health symptoms, the specific contribution of nut consumption (rich in anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective compounds) remains insufficiently examined in this population. Current evidence also lacks robust data on the dose–response effects of nut consumption and mechanistic pathways involving biomarkers relevant to brain function and mental health. The Nuts4Brain-RCT will investigate the impact of a 6-month mixed-nut consumption intervention on mental health symptoms, cognitive functioning, sleep quality, overall well-being, health-related quality of life, and biochemical brain function mediators in young adults. Methods and analysis: A 6-month, randomized, single-blinded, three-arm, dose–response, parallel-group clinical trial will be conducted with 135 university students aged 18–24 years from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain. The participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three groups: (1) a control group maintaining their habitual diet while avoiding nut consumption; (2) a 30 g/day mixed-nut consumption group; or (3) a 60 g/day mixed-nut consumption group. The nut consumption intervention will include unsalted, unroasted walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios. The primary outcomes will include depressive (BDI-II) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms, perceived stress (PSS-10), cognitive performance (NIH Toolbox), and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Assessments will take place at baseline and at 3 (intermediate), 6 (end of intervention) and 12 months (follow-up). Repeated-measures mixed-effects models will be applied to estimate the effects of nut consumption and dosage on mental health outcomes. Ethics and dissemination: The study adheres to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity and obtained approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Virgen de la Luz Hospital, Cuenca, Spain (REG: 2025/E0125). The findings will be disseminated through high-impact open-access peer-reviewed publications, presentations at scientific conferences, and social media platforms. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT07292610.