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Nutrients
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Nutrition and Mental Health: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention
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Nutrition and Mental Health: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2026) | Viewed by 1461

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Debbiesiu Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, School of Education and Human Development, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
Interests: mental health; well-being; holistic; interdisciplinary; emotional regulation; depression; anxiety; stress; cognitive functioning; mindfulness; meditation; awareness; consciousness; nutrition; exercise; diet

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The intersection between nutrition and mental health has emerged as a critical area of interdisciplinary research, with growing evidence suggesting that dietary patterns, nutrient intake, and targeted nutritional interventions play a significant role in the prevention and management of mental health disorders.

I am pleased to invite submissions for a Special Issue of Nutrients titled "Nutrition and Mental Health: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention." This issue aims to highlight innovative research, clinical applications, and theoretical advancements that address how nutrition influences mental well-being and how nutritional strategies can be effectively used in mental health interventions.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The role of specific nutrients (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, magnesium, and probiotics) in mood regulation and cognitive function;
  • Dietary patterns (e.g., Mediterranean diet and anti-inflammatory diets) and their association with depression, anxiety, or neurodevelopmental disorders;
  • Nutrition-based interventions in clinical settings for managing mental health conditions;
  • The gut–brain axis and its implications for mental health;
  • Public health strategies integrating nutrition and mental health promotion;
  • Nutritional psychiatry: emerging paradigms and clinical guidelines;
  • Population-specific research (e.g., children, adolescents, older adults, and perinatal women);
  • Methodological innovations in studying the nutrition–mental health connection;
  • Integrative approaches combining nutrition, psychotherapy, and pharmacology.

This Special Issue offers a timely opportunity to advance the dialogue between nutritional science and mental health practice.  We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case studies, and theoretical or conceptual papers. 

Dr. Debbiesiu Lee
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
  • mental health
  • well-being
  • prevention
  • intervention
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • cognition
  • gut–brain

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 453 KB  
Article
Associations of Functional Dyspepsia with Eating Behaviors and Stress-Coping Styles Among Japanese University Students
by Yoshie Miyake, Koki Takagaki, Atsuo Yoshino, Toru Hiyama and Yuri Okamoto
Nutrients 2026, 18(9), 1316; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18091316 - 22 Apr 2026
Viewed by 517
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is relatively common among young adults and is increasingly understood within the framework of brain–gut interactions. Eating behaviors and psychological distress may be related to FD, but evidence in young adults remains limited. This study examined the associations between [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is relatively common among young adults and is increasingly understood within the framework of brain–gut interactions. Eating behaviors and psychological distress may be related to FD, but evidence in young adults remains limited. This study examined the associations between FD and eating behaviors and depressive symptoms among university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during health checkups. A total of 4328 students (2232 males and 2096 females) completed questionnaires assessing FD symptoms based on Rome IV, eating behaviors (EAT-26 and BITE), depressive symptoms (BDI-II), and coping styles (CISS). We compared scores between students with and without FD and performed multivariable logistic regression including gender, BMI, sleep, eating behaviors, and depressive symptoms. Results: The prevalence of questionnaire-based FD was 6.1% in males and 7.2% in females. Students with FD had higher EAT-26, BITE, BDI-II, and emotion-oriented coping scores. In multivariable logistic regression, EAT-26 ≥ 10 (OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.26–2.91, p = 0.002), BITE ≥ 10 (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.01–2.08, p = 0.04), BDI-II ≥ 10 (OR: 3.83, 95% CI: 2.97–4.95, p < 0.001), and BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.31–2.31, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with FD; gender and sleep were not. Conclusions: FD was associated with disordered eating behaviors, depressive symptoms, and low BMI. Differences in emotion-oriented coping were observed between groups. These findings suggest that integrating assessments of gastrointestinal symptoms, eating behaviors, and psychological factors may inform early detection and support at university. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Mental Health: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention)
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Review

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24 pages, 1029 KB  
Review
The Triangular Model of Psychological Stress, Sleep Disorders and Food Addiction in T2DM: An Integrative Review Based on Shared Molecular Mechanisms
by Chunpeng Zhang, Yan Huang, Gaoyang Fu, Xiaoxi Zhang and Daozong Xia
Nutrients 2026, 18(11), 1776; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18111776 - 31 May 2026
Viewed by 417
Abstract
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) continues to rise, and traditional models fail to fully explain its pathogenesis, particularly the frequent co-occurrence of T2DM with mental health disorders. Based on a systematic integration of epidemiological and molecular biological studies, this review [...] Read more.
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) continues to rise, and traditional models fail to fully explain its pathogenesis, particularly the frequent co-occurrence of T2DM with mental health disorders. Based on a systematic integration of epidemiological and molecular biological studies, this review organises existing evidence into a “psychological stress–sleep disturbance–food addiction” triangular framework, drawing together observations that have mostly been discussed in isolation. In this model, the three factors form a self-perpetuating vicious cycle through bidirectional interactions, which may synergistically amplify the risk of both T2DM and comorbid mental health conditions via shared molecular pathways. Mechanistically, the model operates through three tiers of pathological amplification: central drive (HPA axis and autonomic imbalance), peripheral effects (glucocorticoid resistance-driven inflammation and metabolic dysregulation), and tissue damage (insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction). Glucocorticoid resistance serves as the key link connecting central overdrive to amplified peripheral inflammation. The same neuroendocrine and inflammatory pathways are implicated in mood and cognitive disturbances, suggesting a biological basis for the mental–metabolic comorbidity observed clinically. This framework provides an integrated understanding of how psychosocial and dietary factors converge on common biological targets and offers a theoretical foundation for developing integrated nutritional and psychological prevention strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Mental Health: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention)
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