Intake of dietary advanced glycation end products may be associated with depression and sleep quality in young adults

Background: This study examined the relationship between dietary intake of advanced glycation end products (dAGEs) and depression and sleep quality in young adults. Methods: This study, which included 420 university students (F = 80.2 %; M = 19.8 %), is observational and cross-sectional. Dietary AGEs intakes of individuals were taken with a 24-h food consumption record system. Measuring the depression status of the participants was evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the assessment of their sleep quality was evaluated with the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Individuals' dAGEs intakes were divided into three equal groups (low, medium, and high). The energy was adjusted in all analyzes of dAGEs intake. Study data were analyzed with the SPSS (27.0 version) and GraphPad program (8.0 version). Results: The BDI and PSQI total score averages of individuals in the high dAGEs intake group were higher than the other groups, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There is no significant difference between individuals' dAGEs intakes and energy and macronutrient intakes. Students' dAGEs intake was affected by BDI (beta = 0.722, 95 % Cl = 0.639;0.811) and PSQI (beta = 0.286, 95 % Cl = 0.179;0.431) scores (p < 0.001). This effect persisted even when various confounding factors were included (age, gender, smoking, body mass index, chronic disease) (p < 0.001). Limitations: These data are cross-sectional, which limits the generalizability of results and establishing causeeffect relationships. Conclusion: There may be an association between dAGEs intake and the development of depression and sleep quality in young adults. Clinical intervention studies using objective measurement methods should be conducted on this issue in the future.