Diet Quality and Psychological Distress: The Mediating Role of Inflammation Perception
Keywords:
Diet quality, psychological distress, inflammation perceptionAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between diet quality and psychological distress, focusing on the mediating role of inflammation perception among adults. A descriptive correlational study design was employed with a sample of 400 adults residing in Georgia, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie sampling table. Participants completed standardized self-report instruments measuring diet quality (Healthy Eating Index-2015), inflammation perception (Inflammation Perception Questionnaire), and psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale–K10). Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 for Pearson correlations and AMOS-21 for Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate the mediation model. Model fit was assessed using indices such as χ²/df, GFI, AGFI, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA. Pearson correlation analysis showed significant negative relationships between diet quality and both inflammation perception (r = –0.46, p < .001) and psychological distress (r = –0.51, p < .001), and a significant positive correlation between inflammation perception and psychological distress (r = 0.59, p < .001). The SEM results indicated a good model fit (χ²/df = 2.14; GFI = 0.96; AGFI = 0.94; CFI = 0.97; TLI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.053). Inflammation perception significantly mediated the relationship between diet quality and psychological distress, with significant direct (β = –0.29, p < .001) and indirect effects (β = –0.20, p < .001). The total effect of diet quality on distress was β = –0.49 (p < .001). The findings suggest that inflammation perception is a significant psychological mechanism through which diet quality influences psychological distress. These results support the need for integrated nutritional and psychological interventions that address both physical and cognitive-emotional aspects of mental health.
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