Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.1
5.0
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health—2nd Edition
nutrients-logo
Submit to Nutrients Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health—2nd Edition

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 March 2026) | Viewed by 10531

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hans-Willi Clement

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Mental Illness, University Medical Center Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
Interests: nutrition; psychiatry; neurology; child; adolescent
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nutrition supports our bodies with what is needed for growth and development. The bricks of life, represented by macronutrients and micronutrients, not only have effects on growth and functionality, but they also play important roles in the neuropsychiatric development of children and adolescents and maintain functionality in adult daily life. The dietary behavior of neuropsychiatric patients is poorly understood, and it is thought that it may favor the disease rather than the healing process, or vice versa. Patients with mental health problems might need a personalized composition of their daily meals. Special diets might be helpful, with the ketogenic diet for patients with medication for refractory epilepsy providing an important example. The role of the microbiome in the context of neuropsychiatric disorders may also be important, as recent research results have begun to demonstrate. The most recent discoveries made and research carried out in this field will hopefully help patients with neuropsychiatric diseases.

Considering the success of the previous Special Issue, titled "Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health", we are pleased to announce that we are launching a second Special Issue on this topic. The objective of this Special Issue, entitled “Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health—2nd Edition”. This Special Issue will focus on the relationship between nutrition and neuropsychiatric diseases/development as a promising field of research, new discoveries, and nutritional help.

Prof. Dr. Hans-Willi Clement
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nutrition
  • psychiatry
  • neurology
  • child
  • adolescent
  • adult
  • depression
  • schizophrenia
  • ADHD
  • microbiome
  • epilepsy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 2351 KB  
Article
Effects of Fortified Formula Milk Supplementation on Neurocognitive Development and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in Preschool Children: A Cluster-Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial
by Yifan Gong, Xingwen Zhao, Qi Zhang, Xinxin Yan, Bin Sun, Xinyi Li, Qixu Han, Yiran Guan, Huiyu Chen, Meina Li, Jie Guo, Biao Liu, Ran Wang, Baotang Zhao, Yan Zhang and Jingjing He
Nutrients 2026, 18(7), 1167; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071167 - 7 Apr 2026
Viewed by 897
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The preschool period is critical for neurodevelopment, yet evidence investigating fortified formula’s effect and potential microbiota–gut–brain axis mechanisms in this age group is limited. To evaluate fortified formula milk’s effect on neurodevelopment and explore potential microbiota–gut–brain axis mechanisms in preschool children. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The preschool period is critical for neurodevelopment, yet evidence investigating fortified formula’s effect and potential microbiota–gut–brain axis mechanisms in this age group is limited. To evaluate fortified formula milk’s effect on neurodevelopment and explore potential microbiota–gut–brain axis mechanisms in preschool children. Methods: In this 9-month cluster-randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, 120 healthy children aged 3–6 years from four kindergarten classes were stratified by grade and randomly allocated (1:1) to receive either multi-nutrient fortified formula (intervention, n = 60) or standard control milk (n = 60). Neurocognitive function was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV). Safety was evaluated through anthropometry and blood biochemistry. Gut microbiota (16S rRNA sequencing) and fecal metabolomes (untargeted LC-MS) were analyzed at baseline and 9 months. Results: The intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis showed no significant difference in Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (adjusted mean difference: 1.05 points; 95% CI: −1.42, 3.52; p = 0.400). However, the intervention group significantly improved the Processing Speed Index (adjusted mean difference: 5.91 points; 95% CI: 1.88, 9.93; p = 0.004), increased gut microbial alpha diversity (Shannon index) and Bifidobacterium abundance. Metabolomic analysis revealed elevated fecal 2-hydroxybutyric acid (2-HB), a marker of propanoate metabolism. Increases in both Bifidobacterium and 2-HB levels showed a positive association with PSI improvement (both p < 0.05). All children maintained normal growth and safety parameters. Conclusions: Fortified formula milk improved processing speed in preschoolers, a benefit associated with gut ecosystem modulation characterized by Bifidobacterium enrichment and upregulated microbial propanoate metabolism. These results offer preliminary evidence for the role of the microbiota–gut–brain axis in nutritional cognitive programming during early childhood. (Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2400084211). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 558 KB  
Article
Fermented Dairy Food Intake and Risk of Depression and Dementia in Later Life: Findings from a Prospective Cohort of Older Australians
by Muniratul Idrus, Dana Bliuc, Karen A. Mather, Henry Brodaty, Perminder S. Sachdev, Katya Numbers and Zhaoli Dai
Nutrients 2026, 18(7), 1020; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071020 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1111
Abstract
Background: Fermented dairy foods, such as yogurt and cheese, contain bioactive components that differ from those in non-dairy foods, but their associations with depression and dementia risk in later life remain unclear. Methods: We analyzed data from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, [...] Read more.
Background: Fermented dairy foods, such as yogurt and cheese, contain bioactive components that differ from those in non-dairy foods, but their associations with depression and dementia risk in later life remain unclear. Methods: We analyzed data from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, a community-dwelling cohort of adults aged 70–90 years, to examine associations between dairy intake and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale-15), psychological distress (Kessler-10), and incident depression (physician diagnosis or antidepressant use) and dementia (DSM-IV criteria). Intake of yogurt, cheese, and non-fermented milk was assessed at baseline using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Longitudinal associations were examined using Fine–Gray competing-risks models that accounted for death; cross-sectional associations were also assessed. Results: Among 966 participants (mean age: 78.3; 55.5% women), compared with no consumption, higher yogurt intake (one standard serving) was significantly associated with lower depressive symptom scores (adjusted β: −0.37 and −0.39 for quartiles 3–4 (mean: 88.5–164 g/day), and so was low-fat cheese intake (mean: 13.2 g/day) (adjusted β: −0.35). Over a mean follow-up of 3.3 years, 120 incident cases of depression and 68 deaths occurred: higher yogurt intake and low-fat cheese consumption (versus non-consumption) were associated with lower risk of depression (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratios 0.41 [95% CI 0.19–0.88] and 0.40 [0.21–0.78], respectively). No significant associations were observed for psychological distress, cognition, or incident dementia (a mean follow-up of 5.2 years, 100 incident cases, and 153 deaths); no associations were observed for regular cheese or milk intake. Conclusions: These findings suggest a potential role for fermented dairy foods, particularly yogurt and low-fat cheese intake, but not non-fermented milk, in mental well-being in later life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1525 KB  
Article
Uncontrolled Eating Through the Lens of Mentalization and Emotional Eating: The Moderating Role of Food Addiction
by Alessandro Alberto Rossi, Andrea Tagliagambe, Anna Scuderi, Laura Dalla Ragione and Stefania Mannarini
Nutrients 2025, 17(20), 3233; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17203233 - 15 Oct 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2002
Abstract
Background. The literature suggests that deficits in mentalization, operationalized as reflective functioning, are associated with emotional and behavioral dysregulation, including emotional eating and uncontrolled eating. These eating behaviors may be intensified by food addiction, yet its moderating role within this framework has [...] Read more.
Background. The literature suggests that deficits in mentalization, operationalized as reflective functioning, are associated with emotional and behavioral dysregulation, including emotional eating and uncontrolled eating. These eating behaviors may be intensified by food addiction, yet its moderating role within this framework has not been thoroughly investigated. This study examined whether the relationship between deficits in reflective functioning and uncontrolled eating is mediated by emotional eating, and whether food addiction diagnosis moderates this pathway. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 559 adults from the general population. Participants completed self-report measures assessing reflective functioning (RFQ-8), emotional and uncontrolled eating (TFEQ-R-18), and food addiction (YFAS 2.0). A moderated mediation model was tested using conditional process analysis with 10,000 bootstrap resamples. Results. Deficits in reflective functioning were positively associated with emotional eating (β = 0.155, p < 0.001), which in turn were associated with uncontrolled eating (β = 1.314, p < 0.001). Food addiction diagnosis significantly moderated the relationship between emotional eating and uncontrolled eating (β = 0.744, p < 0.001). Specifically, individuals with food addiction exhibited a stronger association between emotional eating and uncontrolled eating compared to those without food addiction. The indirect effect from reflective functioning to uncontrolled eating via emotional eating was significantly stronger among individuals with food addiction than those without. The overall model explained 57.3% of the variance in uncontrolled eating. Conclusions. Food addiction diagnosis amplifies the pathway from emotional eating to uncontrolled eating, originating from deficits in reflective functioning. These findings highlight the clinical importance of targeting mentalization processes and emotional eating in interventions for disordered eating behaviors, particularly among individuals with food addiction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2970 KB  
Article
The Acute and Long-Term Benefits of the Oligoantigenic Diet for Children and Adolescents on the Three Symptom Subdomains of ADHD: Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity
by Karolin Eder, Katja Schneider-Momm, Tanja Karola Puce, Maja Tobergte, Hans-Willi Clement, Reinhold Rauh, Eberhard Schulz, Monica Biscaldi, Christina Clement and Christian Fleischhaker
Nutrients 2025, 17(11), 1916; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17111916 - 3 Jun 2025
Viewed by 5815
Abstract
Background: Based on the multitude of findings, nutrition is becoming increasingly important in the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. One promising approach is the so-called oligoantigenic diet (OD). This intervention involves avoiding certain foods that often trigger intolerances and allergies. [...] Read more.
Background: Based on the multitude of findings, nutrition is becoming increasingly important in the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. One promising approach is the so-called oligoantigenic diet (OD). This intervention involves avoiding certain foods that often trigger intolerances and allergies. Previous studies have shown that around 60% of patients experienced a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms after completing such a diet. The aim of the present study was to further confirm the efficacy of the OD within an analysis focusing on the symptom of impulsivity. Materials and Methods: In the present study, the Parent Rating of the Diagnostic System of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents (DISYPS-II FBB-ADHD) questionnaire was used to measure the severity of ADHD symptoms. Of 34 children and adolescents (between 7 and 18 years of age) screened and included in this study, 31 participants completed the 4-week OD diet. Results: The corresponding post-diet analysis showed significant short-term improvements for the DISYPS-II FBB-ADHD total score, compared to the start of the diet. This pattern of results also applied to the respective subscales of the DISYPS-II FBB-ADHD questionnaire. A follow-up evaluation conducted 3.5 years after the intervention with 21 participants suggested that the improvements in ADHD symptoms were maintained over time. Specifically, 66.7% of the participants continued to meet the responder criterion, with particularly notable and lasting reductions in impulsivity. Discussion: These results suggest that the beneficial effects of the oligoantigenic diet followed by identifying and avoiding individual intolerant foods may persist long term, and participants’ dietary habits may have also evolved over the years. Conclusion: The oligoantigenic diet may have long-term therapeutic potential for reducing ADHD symptoms, especially impulsivity, in children and adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Intervention in Mental Health—2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop