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Nutritional & Lifestyle Psychiatry: The Role of Nutrition and Lifestyle in the Onset, Prevention and Management of Mental Disorders

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 20434

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Chair & Lead Researcher in Psychiatry, Mental Health Services and Psychotherapy, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
Interests: eating disorders; personality disorders; anxiety; depression; trials; psychotherapy; clinical psychology; virtual reality; assessment; nosology; aetiology; longitudinal research; risk factors; prevention; evidence-based therapy; experimental psychiatry; trauma; neuroscience; body image; weight; adolescence; DSM; fasting-act antidepressants; treatment-resistance; mental health; e-health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our brain is always "on" and requires a constant supply of "fuel", which comes from the foods we eat, and what is in that fuel makes all the difference. Even if practitioners would agree that a healthy diet, physical activity and stress and sleep management are good for people’s mental health and that living well can mitigate the impact of mental disorders, many of them are still unprepared to address nutrition and lifestyle factors in their care of patients.

In this Special Issue of Nutrients (Impact Factor: 5.9, Citescore: 9.0) we aim to incrase awarnesss of the blossoming field Nutritional amd Lifestyle Psychiatry by sharing expanded knowledge about the role of nutrition and lifestyle in the onset, prevention and management of a wide range of mental health symptoms and conditions, i.e., depression, anxiety and addictions.

As such, we encourage the submission of all types of papers that contribute to the literature on

1. how diet and nutrition can affect the risk for mental disorders through neuroinflammation (inflammation in the brain), the microbiome (the connection between the gut and the brain) and the impact of specific dietary factors and nutrients;

2. how different types of diet (e.g. intermittent fasting, ketogenic, Mediterranean, veganism, etc.) and aspects of our lifestyles relate to mental health;

3. the beneficial effects of micronutrients, herbs and supplements on mental health;

4. the impact and efficacy of healthy lifestyle practices (from exercise and meditation to sleep and stress management) —both as the primary intervention and in conjunction with traditional treatments such as psychopharmacology and psychotherapy — in preventing, reducing and managing mental health symptoms and conditions, as well as helping psychiatric patients to address weight gain issues;

5. the most effective methods for supporting and delivering health-promoting lifestyle change services, including the use of digital technologies such as smartphones and connected devices.

Prof. Dr. Antonios Dakanalis
Dr. Constantinos Giaginis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • diet
  • supplements
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • stress
  • exercise
  • sleep
  • addictions
  • nutritional psychiatry
  • lifestyle psychiatry

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 263 KiB  
Article
The Interrelationship between Stress, Sugar Consumption and Depression
by Adi Fish-Williamson and Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook
Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3389; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193389 - 5 Oct 2024
Viewed by 574
Abstract
Depression is a leading cause of disability in the United States. Previous research has shown that added sugar consumption and stress are both risk factors for depression. Despite evidence that stress predicts added sugar consumption, and both affect the HPA axis, no research [...] Read more.
Depression is a leading cause of disability in the United States. Previous research has shown that added sugar consumption and stress are both risk factors for depression. Despite evidence that stress predicts added sugar consumption, and both affect the HPA axis, no research has explored how stress, added sugar consumption and depression are related. In this study, we investigated the possible effects of total added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on depression, as well as their potential interactions with chronic stress. Measures of sugar consumption, chronic stress and depression were taken in an adult community sample at two time points. We hypothesized that high sugar consumption would predict more depression even after stress was statistically adjusted for, but that stress would moderate the relationship between added sugar consumption and depressive symptoms, amplifying the effect. We found that both total sugar consumption and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption at baseline predicted depressive symptoms one month later. However, only sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was a significant predictor of depression after controlling for stress, possibly because stress is related to diet quality. Stress did not moderate the relationship between added sugar consumption and depressive symptoms. These results suggest that stress should be included in future research on sugar and depression. Full article
14 pages, 764 KiB  
Article
Longitudinal Associations between Healthy Eating Habits, Resilience, Insomnia, and Internet Addiction in Chinese College Students: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis
by Liqing Yao, Kaixin Liang, Liuyue Huang, Jialin Xiao, Kaiji Zhou, Sitong Chen and Xinli Chi
Nutrients 2024, 16(15), 2470; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16152470 - 30 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1008
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the longitudinal associations between healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction by using a cross-lagged panel analysis of Chinese college students. Overall, 807 Chinese college students completed questionnaires on healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction [...] Read more.
This study aimed to explore the longitudinal associations between healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction by using a cross-lagged panel analysis of Chinese college students. Overall, 807 Chinese college students completed questionnaires on healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction from August 2020 (time 1, T1) to November 2020 (time 2, T2), and were selected for the data analyses. Healthy eating habits (T1) had significant effects on resilience (T2; β = 0.064, p < 0.05) and insomnia (T2; β = −0.064, p < 0.05), but not Internet addiction (T2; β = −0.028, p > 0.05). Insomnia (T1) negatively predicted resilience (T2; β = −0.098, p < 0.01). Insomnia was bidirectionally associated with Internet addiction (Internet addiction at T1 to insomnia at T2: β = 0.085, p < 0.01; insomnia at T1 to Internet addiction at T2: β = 0.070, p < 0.05). Additionally, Internet addiction (T1) significantly predicted resilience (T2; β = −0.075, p < 0.05). This study further expanded the understanding of the longitudinal associations between healthy eating habits, resilience, insomnia, and Internet addiction, which provided higher-level evidence and important implications for the interventions for reducing college students’ Internet addiction, developing healthy eating habits, and improving resilience and sleep health. Full article
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14 pages, 807 KiB  
Article
Understanding Health-Promoting Behaviors and Influential Factors in Schizophrenia Patients
by Heajin Yu
Nutrients 2024, 16(10), 1490; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16101490 - 15 May 2024
Viewed by 874
Abstract
(1) Background: People who are diagnosed with schizophrenia experience a reduced average lifespan compared to the general population. Also, approximately 85% of individuals with schizophrenia have chronic physical illnesses. Moreover, 60% of premature deaths in this population could be prevented through the adoption [...] Read more.
(1) Background: People who are diagnosed with schizophrenia experience a reduced average lifespan compared to the general population. Also, approximately 85% of individuals with schizophrenia have chronic physical illnesses. Moreover, 60% of premature deaths in this population could be prevented through the adoption of health-promoting behaviors. (2) Methods: This study involved the recruitment of 220 participants from an outpatient clinic in Seoul, South Korea. Inclusion criteria comprised adults aged 19 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of schizophrenia. Data collection occurred between 25 May 2021 and 2 August 2021, utilizing self-report questionnaires. A total of 202 responses were subjected to analysis using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. (3) Results: The findings indicate that the final model is characterized by the following values: Normed x2 = 2.240, RMSEA = 0.079, TLI = 0.926, x2 = 562.2 (p < 0.001), AGFI = 0.830, GFI = 0.814, and CFI = 0.938. Notably, health knowledge did not exhibit a significant direct or overall impact on health-promoting behaviors. Conversely, social support and psychiatric symptoms demonstrated direct, indirect, and total effects on health promotion through an intervening variable. This study underscores the pivotal role of self-efficacy as the most influential factor affecting health-promoting behaviors in individuals with schizophrenia. (4) Conclusions: enhancing self-efficacy emerges as a crucial element in the design and implementation of intervention programs aimed at improving health-promoting behaviors in individuals with schizophrenia. Full article
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10 pages, 836 KiB  
Article
From Restriction to Intuition: Evaluating Intuitive Eating in a Sample of the General Population
by Lorenzo Lucherini Angeletti, Maria Chiara Spinelli, Emanuele Cassioli, Eleonora Rossi, Giovanni Castellini, Giulietta Brogioni, Valdo Ricca and Francesco Rotella
Nutrients 2024, 16(8), 1240; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16081240 - 21 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1405
Abstract
Intuitive eating (IE) is a non-dieting approach that promotes listening to internal cues of hunger and satiety, rather than adhering to external dietary restrictions aimed at weight loss. However, the role of IE in dieting behaviors related to weight-loss approaches is still unclear. [...] Read more.
Intuitive eating (IE) is a non-dieting approach that promotes listening to internal cues of hunger and satiety, rather than adhering to external dietary restrictions aimed at weight loss. However, the role of IE in dieting behaviors related to weight-loss approaches is still unclear. To address this issue, the aim of this study was to compare IE levels between dieting and non-dieting individuals, exploring the relationship between IE and dieting-related psychological and physical factors. A sample of 2059 females was recruited via social media and self-reported questionnaires were administered to measure IE, eating psychopathology, self-efficacy, and quality of life. Individuals with a history of dieting exhibited lower IE levels, a higher BMI, and a greater eating psychopathology, as well as a reduced self-efficacy and quality of life, compared to non-dieters. IE showed a protective effect against dieting behaviors, with higher IE levels being associated with a lower likelihood of dieting. Additionally, higher BMI and eating psychopathology were predictors of dieting. Promoting IE could represent a relevant clinical target strategy to address disordered eating and enhance overall well-being, underscoring the need for interventions that foster a healthier relationship with food and bodily internal sensations. Full article
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24 pages, 4014 KiB  
Article
Gender and Work Experience as Moderators of Relations between Management Level, Physical Activity, Eating Attitudes, and Social Skills of Managers during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Dominika Wilczyńska, Anna Hryniewicz, Magdalena Jaroch-Lidzbarska, Konrad Hryniewicz and Mariusz Lipowski
Nutrients 2023, 15(19), 4234; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15194234 - 30 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1276
Abstract
Being employed in a managerial position is often associated with maintaining high standards in many aspects of life. Many leaders pay attention to their physical activity, eating habits, and social skills. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional difficulties to the already-demanding [...] Read more.
Being employed in a managerial position is often associated with maintaining high standards in many aspects of life. Many leaders pay attention to their physical activity, eating habits, and social skills. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional difficulties to the already-demanding job of managing people and forced managers to make many changes to their daily functioning at work. The main goal of this study was to establish whether Gender, Experience, and Management Level influenced respondents’ healthy behaviors (eating attitudes and physical activity) or soft skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic with a sample of 348 managers from a variety of companies (n = 222 women, n = 126 men) with different levels of experience and responsibility. The authors used the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), four questions from the Physical Activity Objectives Questionnaire, and a self-authored soft skills questionnaire. The results showed that, compared to females, males were characterized by lower levels on all three EAT-26 scales: Bulimia and Food Preoccupation, Oral Control, and Dieting. On the other hand, male respondents who held high managerial positions were characterized by high levels of Dieting, Oral Control, Bulimia, and Food Preoccupation. This analysis provides insights that may help improve the quality of life of employees; however, further research is needed to investigate the direct influence of managers on employees in different industries. Full article
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17 pages, 569 KiB  
Article
Postpartum Depression Is Associated with Maternal Sociodemographic and Anthropometric Characteristics, Perinatal Outcomes, Breastfeeding Practices, and Mediterranean Diet Adherence
by Sousana K. Papadopoulou, Eleni Pavlidou, Antonios Dakanalis, Georgios Antasouras, Theofanis Vorvolakos, Maria Mentzelou, Aspasia Serdari, Aimilia-Lynn Pandi, Maria Spanoudaki, Olga Alexatou, Exakousti-Petroula Aggelakou and Constantinos Giaginis
Nutrients 2023, 15(17), 3853; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15173853 - 4 Sep 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3685
Abstract
Postpartum depression, with a prevalence ranging between 14% and 25% worldwide, has been considered an urgent health concern that negatively affects both mothers’ and their infants’ health. Postpartum depression may negatively affect maternal sociodemographic and anthropometric parameters and lifestyle factors. Nutrition has recently [...] Read more.
Postpartum depression, with a prevalence ranging between 14% and 25% worldwide, has been considered an urgent health concern that negatively affects both mothers’ and their infants’ health. Postpartum depression may negatively affect maternal sociodemographic and anthropometric parameters and lifestyle factors. Nutrition has recently been identified as a crucial factor for the management and co-treatment of postpartum depression. This survey aims to determine the possible association of postpartum depression with mothers’ socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics, perinatal outcomes, breastfeeding practices, and Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey, which was performed on 3941 women during the postpartum period. Postpartum depression was assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Anthropometric parameters and perinatal outcomes were retrieved from mothers’ medical records. Sociodemographic data and breastfeeding practices were recorded by face-to-face interviews between enrolled mothers and trained personnel. Mediterranean diet adherence was assessed by MedDietScore. Both univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression were applied for analyzing our data. Results. Postpartum depression was significantly associated with lower educational level, Greek nationality, higher prevalence of multiparity and overweight/obesity postpartum, higher incidence of caesarean section and not breastfeeding, and lower levels of MD adherence. In multivariate analysis, postpartum depression was independently associated with mothers’ educational level, postpartum BMI status, type of delivery, breastfeeding practices, and MD adherence after adjusting for multiple confounding factors. Conclusions: This study has provided evidence that elevated MD compliance was related to a decreased risk of postpartum depression. Additionally, postpartum depression was associated with multiple sociodemographic and anthropometric parameters, perinatal outcomes, and breastfeeding practices. Future well-designed, prospective studies with high-quality methodology should be performed to obtain conclusive results. Full article
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15 pages, 476 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Diet and the Occurrence of Depressive Symptoms in a Community Example with High Rates of Social Deprivation: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Grzegorz Józef Nowicki, Maciej Polak, Barbara Ślusarska and Karol Czernecki
Nutrients 2023, 15(17), 3778; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15173778 - 29 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1548
Abstract
Research suggests that various biological and psychosocial mechanisms are involved in the heterogeneous and complex relationship between dietary patterns and depressive symptoms. The occurrence of depressive symptoms is thought to be related to socioeconomic status (SES), with those with lower SES being more [...] Read more.
Research suggests that various biological and psychosocial mechanisms are involved in the heterogeneous and complex relationship between dietary patterns and depressive symptoms. The occurrence of depressive symptoms is thought to be related to socioeconomic status (SES), with those with lower SES being more likely to experience persistent depression. The aim of the undertaken study was to investigate whether socioeconomic and health variables are associated with dietary assessment in a population with high rates of social deprivation and whether a relationship exists between dietary assessment and depressive symptoms (DS). The respondents’ nutrition was evaluated through a qualitative method, using the Perinumeric Periodic Table questionnaire by Starzyńska. At the same time, the prevalence of DS was assessed employing the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). In the DS screening (PHQ-9 ≥ 10), in the entire study population, the risk of DS was 16.1% (n = 605). In our entire study population, up to 61.2% (n = 2297) of the respondents exhibited poor dietary patterns. In the multivariate model, women with almost adequate or poor dietary assessment were 1.62 and 2.18 times more likely to score at least 10 on the PHQ-9 questionnaire, as compared to women whose dietary assessment was good or adequate. In conclusion, it was determined that sociodemographic variables affect nutritional habits. Women who lived in rural areas limited to a vocational education had significantly poorer diets. Moreover, men, younger men, smokers, and those without chronic diseases were characterized by a poorer dietary assessment. Additionally, women who had a better dietary assessment were significantly more likely to have lower scores on the questionnaire assessing the occurrence of DS (PHQ-9 10). Full article
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Review

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23 pages, 354 KiB  
Review
Targeting Divergent Pathways in the Nutritional Management of Depression
by Derek Tobin, Alexander Vuckovic and Jerome Sarris
Nutrients 2024, 16(16), 2806; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16162806 - 22 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1640
Abstract
The nutritional management of depression has long been discussed, due to the perceived benefit of a nutritional product having less side effects than pharmaceutical agents. Candidate nutrients for managing depression include vitamin D, B vitamins, tryptophan, branch chain amino acids, probiotics, omega-3 fatty [...] Read more.
The nutritional management of depression has long been discussed, due to the perceived benefit of a nutritional product having less side effects than pharmaceutical agents. Candidate nutrients for managing depression include vitamin D, B vitamins, tryptophan, branch chain amino acids, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, folate/methylfolate (also known as vitamin B9), and s-adenosylmethionine. This paper provides a narrative review of three nutrients which have significant scientific support for the management of depression. A deficiency in each nutrient is associated with depression, and interventional studies indicate that the correction of the nutritional deficiency may provide clinical benefit. We present epidemiological evidence, a mechanistic explanation and a review of interventional studies for these nutrients. Finally, relevant nutritional guidelines are presented with their conclusion for the role of each nutrient in the management of depression. Full article
19 pages, 2425 KiB  
Review
Pharmacological Studies in Eating Disorders: A Historical Review
by Yael D. Lewis, Lukas Bergner, Holger Steinberg, Jessica Bentley and Hubertus Himmerich
Nutrients 2024, 16(5), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050594 - 22 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2233
Abstract
Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental health conditions characterised by impaired eating behaviours and nutrition as well as disturbed body image, entailing considerable mortality and morbidity. Psychopharmacological medication is an important component in the treatment of EDs. In this review, we performed a [...] Read more.
Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental health conditions characterised by impaired eating behaviours and nutrition as well as disturbed body image, entailing considerable mortality and morbidity. Psychopharmacological medication is an important component in the treatment of EDs. In this review, we performed a historic analysis of pharmacotherapeutic research in EDs based on the scientific studies included in the recently published World Federation of Societies for Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for ED treatment. This analysis focuses on early approaches and trends in the methods of clinical pharmacological research in EDs, for example, the sample sizes of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). We found the development of psychopharmacological treatments for EDs followed advancements in psychiatric pharmacotherapy. However, the application of RCTs to the study of pharmacotherapy for EDs may be an impediment as limited participant numbers and inadequate research funding impede generalisability and statistical power. Moreover, current medication usage often deviates from guideline recommendations. In conclusion, the RCT model may not effectively capture the complexities of ED treatment, and funding limitations hinder research activity. Novel genetically/biologically based treatments are warranted. A more comprehensive understanding of EDs and individualised approaches should guide research and drug development for improved treatment outcomes. Full article
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15 pages, 302 KiB  
Review
Orthorexia and Orthorexia Nervosa: A Comprehensive Examination of Prevalence, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Treatment
by Omer Horovitz and Marios Argyrides
Nutrients 2023, 15(17), 3851; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15173851 - 3 Sep 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5087
Abstract
Orthorexia nervosa is an emerging and controversial eating disorder characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with healthy eating and an extreme fixation on food purity. Despite growing public interest in orthorexia, its classification as a distinct eating disorder remains a subject of ongoing debate [...] Read more.
Orthorexia nervosa is an emerging and controversial eating disorder characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with healthy eating and an extreme fixation on food purity. Despite growing public interest in orthorexia, its classification as a distinct eating disorder remains a subject of ongoing debate in the mental health community. This paper comprehensively reviews the current literature on orthorexia nervosa, exploring the prevalence rates, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options. The paper offers an overview of orthorexia and its historical context and explores the challenges and considerations in diagnosing orthorexia and orthorexia nervosa. Specifically, the distinction between “orthorexia” and “orthorexia nervosa” is a debated issue in eating disorder research due to a lack of clear diagnostic criteria, making it challenging to accurately differentiate between an obsession with healthy eating and a more severe form with potential distress and impairment. Given the absence of formal diagnostic criteria, developing valid and reliable assessment tools is crucial to accurately identify and treat individuals experiencing these disorders. The paper’s final section covers the existing treatment approaches for orthorexia nervosa. Overall, the paper highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of orthorexia nervosa. This review contributes to the ongoing discourse surrounding orthorexia and provides valuable insights for clinicians, researchers, and stakeholders in the mental health and eating disorders fields. Full article
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