Unhealthy Diet and Inconsistent Sleep as Predictors of Mood Disorders in Adults
Keywords:
Mood disorders, unhealthy diet, inconsistent sleep, lifestyle predictors, adult mental healthAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the predictive relationship between unhealthy dietary habits, inconsistent sleep patterns, and mood disorders in a sample of Pakistani adults. A correlational descriptive design was employed with a sample of 388 adult participants selected based on the Krejcie and Morgan sample size table. Standardized instruments were used to assess the variables: the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) measured mood disorders, the Dietary Screening Tool (DST) assessed diet quality, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) evaluated sleep consistency. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, with Pearson correlation used to examine bivariate relationships and standard multiple linear regression applied to assess the combined predictive power of unhealthy diet and inconsistent sleep on mood disorder symptoms. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between mood disorders and both unhealthy diet (r = .48, p < .01) and inconsistent sleep (r = .55, p < .01). The regression model was statistically significant, F(2, 385) = 110.32, p < .001, with an R² value of .37, indicating that 37% of the variance in mood disorder symptoms was explained by the combined effect of the two predictors. In the multivariate model, both unhealthy diet (β = .31, t = 6.42, p < .001) and inconsistent sleep (β = .42, t = 7.54, p < .001) emerged as significant predictors of mood disorders. The findings suggest that both poor dietary habits and irregular sleep patterns are strong, independent predictors of mood disorder symptoms in adults. These modifiable lifestyle factors should be prioritized in preventive mental health strategies, especially in low-resource settings where formal psychological support may be limited.
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