Association between FODMAP intake and depressive symptoms in Indonesian university students

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