Health behavior interventions for university students measuring mental health outcomes: A scoping review

Many university students have poor mental health, and co-occurring health risk behaviors. Targeting health behavior change in this population may improve mental health outcomes. This scoping review describes the extent and range of randomized controlled trials (RCT) evaluating interventions targeting health risk behaviors and measuring a mental health outcome, among university students.

Six electronic databases were searched for RCTs published until the 18^th May 2021. Eligible RCTs included university students, evaluated interventions that promoted health behavior change (i.e., dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, alcohol and drug use, smoking, and sleep), and measured a mental health-related outcome.

Fifty-nine RCTs met the inclusion criteria that were published from 2000 to 2021, and over half (n = 33) were conducted in the United States. Interventions evaluated within the RCTs (n = 92) predominantly targeted changes to dietary intake (n = 41 interventions), physical activity (n = 39), or alcohol intake (n = 35). Most interventions targeted one (n = 51) or two (n = 27) health behaviors only. Included RCTs considered mental ill health outcomes (n = 24), psychological wellbeing outcomes (n = 20), or both (n = 15).

This scoping review identified a moderate volume of experimental research investigating the impact of health behavior interventions on university students' mental health. There is scope for further research examining health behavior interventions targeting university students, particularly interventions taking a multi-behavioral approach.