Evaluation and Comparison of Dietary Habits, Diet Quality and Mental Well-Being Levels of University Students in Different Countries: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the dietary habits, diet quality, and mental well-being of university students in different countries. Material and Methods: The descriptive general characteristics, disease status, dietary habits, smoking status, and alcohol consumption status of the students were recorded. In addition, the Mediterranean Dietary Adherence Scale (MEDAS) was used to assess diet quality, the Short Physical Activity Assessment Tool was used to assess physical activity levels, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale was used to assess mental well-being. Results: 58% of the students in Turkey and 69.9% of the students in Bosnia and Herzegovina had a normal BMI. The percentage of students in Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina with high adherence to the Mediterranean diet ranged from 20.3% to 32.5%. The mental well-being scores of students in the two countries were similar, with averages of 51.7±9.3 in Turkey and 51.2±8.8 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Conclusion: Since university represents a critical transitional stage to adulthood, it is important to promote and support healthy behaviors during this period. Therefore, adopting and implementing nutrition and health education programs, along with increasing students' physical activity levels, is recommended to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity amonguniversity students and to improve their dietary habits. Keywords: Dietary habits, mental well-being, Mediterranean diet, different countries.