High Prevalence Of Low Dairy Calcium Intake And Association With Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression And Musculoskeletal Pain In University Students From Jordan

Objective:To assess dairy Ca intake and investigate its relationship with insomnia and other common co-morbidities including anxiety, depression and musculoskeletal pain (MSP) among university students.Design:Cross-sectional study.Setting:University, Irbid, Jordan.Participants:Male and female individuals (n 1000), aged 20 center dot 87 +/- 2 center dot 69 years.Results:Low dairy Ca intake (<1000 mg/d) was reported by 96 center dot 5 % of participants, and moderate to severe insomnia reported by 15 center dot 6 % of participants. Abnormal anxiety and depression scores were reported by 26 center dot 2 and 18 center dot 0 % of participants, respectively. MSP was reported by 42 center dot 9 % of participants. Participants with moderate to severe insomnia had lower dairy Ca, higher anxiety and depression scores and higher measures of MSP compared to participants with no insomnia (P-values < 0 center dot 05). Dairy Ca was weakly inversely correlated with Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score, depression score and measures of MSP (P-values < 0 center dot 05). Regression analysis indicated that insomnia was predicted by low dairy Ca, anxiety, depression, MSP and smoking (P-values < 0 center dot 05). Both anxiety and depression were predicted by increased ISI score (P-values < 0 center dot 05), while depression alone was predicted by low dairy Ca (P-value < 0 center dot 01). MSP was predicted by increased ISI and anxiety scores (P-values < 0 center dot 05).Conclusions:Low dairy Ca was highly prevalent and associated with insomnia and depression among university students. Individuals should be advised to increase dietary Ca intake to achieve the recommended daily amount. Further research is required to investigate a potential causal relationship between low Ca and both insomnia and its related co-morbidities.