- Psychologists increasingly recognize the bidirectional relationship between diet and mental health, yet most report limited formal training in nutrition and a strong desire for further education in this area.
- Interprofessional collaboration between psychologists and dietitians is gaining momentum. Evidence suggests it can improve clinical outcomes, and preliminary precedent exists in educating clinicians while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
- Integrating nutrition into mental healthcare requires formalized education and training programs, interdisciplinary language connecting the two fields, and established pathways for interprofessional collaboration.
Introduction
In this article, we examine the current state of nutrition training among psychologists and identify perceived barriers to integrating nutrition into clinical mental health practice. While a growing body of evidence supports the link between dietary intake patterns and psychological processes, experiences, and outcomes, the systematic development of interprofessional education, skills, novel language, and training to close the gap between the psychological and nutritional sciences is in its infancy.
The use of nutrition among psychologists and mental health practitioners varies globally, and surveys indicate a consensus on the need for further systematic nutrition education within the field of psychological sciences and its applications in clinical mental health settings. This article examines various beliefs, perceptions, and barriers to incorporating nutrition into mental healthcare among psychologists, dietitians, nutritionists, and other related professionals.
Efforts to Connect Nutrition & Mental Health
The connection between diet and physical health has been recognized for centuries, dating back to ancient civilizations. Although psychology as a science has formally been founded in the late 19th century (with Wilhelm Wundt founding the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany) (Titchener, 1921), the links between nutrition and psychology have only recently, in the last couple of decades, become a mainstream topic of psychological inquiry (JFKU, Introduction to Nutritional Psychology, 2009). As mental health treatments become more comprehensive, lifestyle factors, including nutrition, are increasingly recognized as important components in a broader understanding of well-being (Mrozek et al., 2023; O’Neil et al., 2024).
In parallel, a growing body of research has documented a global shift toward Westernized dietary patterns over the past two decades (Juul et al., 2021), characterized by high consumption of processed foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats, which are associated not only with obesity and metabolic dysfunction but also with increased risk for common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety (Firth et al., 2019; Lane et al., 2024; Çelik et al., 2025). In addition, an umbrella review involving nearly 10 million participants found that ultra-processed dietary patterns were associated with 32 poor physical and mental health outcomes (Lane et al., 2024, as cited in Nilson, 2025).
Current obesity statistics indicate a global health crisis, with 16% of the worldwide adult population and 40.3% of U.S. adults living with obesity (National Center for Health Statistics, 2022). Statistics indicate a curvilinear increase in the body mass index of adult Americans over the last six decades, in both males and females (Wong et al., 2022). Among adolescents, obesity rates are projected to reach 1 in 6 by 2050 (Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 2025). Concomitantly, 1 in 7 adolescents worldwide are diagnosed with a mental health disorder (World Health Organization, 2024), yet 80% of those affected are left without psychological care (CDC, as cited in Uzzell, 2024). Additionally, one out of every two people in the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime (Harvard Medical School, 2023) (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. The Global burden of obesity and mental health disorders
Depression and obesity often co-occur and studies have found that individuals with depression have a higher risk of becoming obese, and conversely, those who are obese have a higher risk of developing depression (Friedman, et al., 2025; Mannan, 2016, as cited in Benton & Young, 2020; Stenz, & Jansen, 2023; Lane et al., 2024). However, these data come from correlation studies, so the causal relationships between depression and obesity remain insufficiently clear. Further, there is a correlation between depression and the development of other metabolic syndromes, such as appetite dysregulation and insulin resistance (Zeng & Zhang, 2025). Mechanisms underlying this bidirectional relationship involving dietary intake are being increasingly investigated, including shared pathways such as systemic inflammation, gut-brain signaling, gut microbiota, HPA axis dysregulation, and neurotransmitters (Sochacka, 2024; Mörkl, 2021).
Additionally, a meta-analysis by Firth et al. (2019) encompassing 16 randomized controlled trials found that dietary improvement significantly reduced depressive symptoms, with smaller but promising effects also noted for anxiety. These findings may support the inclusion of dietary intervention as a viable component of psychological care, reinforcing the relevance of nutrition in extending beyond physical health to encompass mood-related outcomes (Firth et al., 2019). Still, it can be challenging to isolate the specific effects of dietary change from other factors associated with participation in such programs, including increased support, motivation, or engagement.
Research in nutritional psychiatry has worked to identify the causal connection between diet and psychiatric disorders to support the development of nutrition-based clinical interventions in mental healthcare (Marx et al., 2017). The SMILES trial was the first randomized controlled trial to demonstrate that participants who followed a modified Mediterranean diet experienced significant reductions in depression symptoms, establishing a causal link between diet and mental health (Jacka, 2017).
Metabolic psychiatry is another emerging field that explores how metabolic processes, including increased ketone production, influence psychiatric disorders (Bostock et al., 2017; Barch, 2023; Laurent et al., 2024).
Beyond obesity and psychiatric disorders, ample research demonstrates the interconnections between nutrition and nearly every aspect of psychological, behavioral, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning, including mood, emotion, behavior, cognition, perception, interoceptive experience, and social well-being. Many of these interconnections are identified, cataloged, and summarized within the Nutritional Psychology Research Library (NPRL) through The Center for Nutritional Psychology (CNP) (Nutritional Psychology Research Library, 2025) and used to inform the development of a theoretical foundation situated within the psychological sciences, novel interdisciplinary language contained in the Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology (ENP), evidence-based curricula, and a global platform for supporting collaboration among clinicians, professionals, educators, and researchers. These efforts support the development of a new field of study that bridges the psychological and nutritional sciences, referred to as nutritional psychology.
Research demonstrates the interconnections between nutrition and nearly every aspect of psychological functioning.
There is a clear need to continue these efforts to expand our understanding of the interconnections between psychological and nutritional factors and their impact on psychological functioning and mental health. Beyond the need to continue solidifying a strong evidence base connecting the psychological and nutritional sciences, developing a theoretical framework to encompass these findings, creating novel language, and expanding conceptualization, understanding the current state of training, beliefs, and practices in both disciplines and professions is necessary to continue bridging the gap between the psychological and nutritional sciences.
Understanding the current state of training, beliefs, and practices in both disciplines and professions is necessary to continue bridging the gap between the psychological and nutritional sciences.
Nutrition Training & Use of Nutrition in Mental Health Practice
Psychologists and psychiatrists acknowledge the connection between nutrition and mental health, yet there is limited information on how they integrate it into practice or whether they receive formal training. To further understand this topic, the CNP team reviewed three published surveys that asked psychologists and psychiatrists if they received nutrition training, how they incorporate nutrition into clinical practice, and their interest in additional education.
The findings, summarized in Figure 2, reveal that despite having limited nutrition education, many psychologists still discuss nutrition with their clients. Additionally, professionals have a consensus on the need for further research and training in this area. Psychologists and psychiatrists are interested in nutrition courses that align with the biopsychosocial model to enhance well-being (Litta, 2024). Findings consolidated from these three studies (Mörkl, Stromsnes, and Litta) are summarized and published in the Figure below.
Figure 2. Nutrition in mental health practice: Insights from three studies
The Morkle study involved 1,056 mental health professionals. Regarding nutrition training, 66.3% of psychologists reported having received no nutrition training, while 74.2% of psychiatrists reported the same. Despite this, 56.8% of survey participants have recommended supplements, and 43% have recommended diet strategies in their clinical practice. In the Stromsnes study, which included 76 psychologists, 60.5% had no nutrition training. Still, 92.1% reported discussing nutrition with clients, and 39.5% incorporated nutrition counseling into their work.
The Litta study surveyed 110 psychologists and psychiatrists, revealing that 47.5% of psychologists and 63.3% of psychiatrists had no nutrition training. Of this group, 51.4% reported sometimes using a nutrition approach in practice. Interest in additional training was high, with 92.9% in the Mörkl study and 97% in the Litta study expressing a desire for more nutrition education.
These findings reveal a significant gap in nutrition training among psychologists and psychiatrists, despite their strong interest in additional training on the topic. Across three studies, a notable share of psychologists reported having no formal nutrition training, ranging from 47.5% to 66.3%.
These findings reveal a significant gap in nutrition training among psychologists and psychiatrists.
Nonetheless, many psychologists still address nutrition in their clinical practice: 92.1% reported discussing nutrition with clients, while a smaller, but still notable, proportion engaged in nutrition counseling (39.5%). In addition, a broader portion of mental health professionals recommended dietary supplements (56.8%) or suggested diet strategies (43.8%). Importantly, nearly all respondents (92.9%–97%) desired more nutrition training, underscoring a strong demand for integrating systematic, evidence-based nutritional knowledge into mental health care.
Nearly all respondents expressed a desire for more nutrition training, underscoring a strong demand for integrating nutritional knowledge into mental healthcare.
Barriers to Implementing Nutrition into Clinical Mental Health Care
Psychologists report several barriers to implementing nutrition into clinical mental health care practice, the most significant being a lack of training. Psychologists have concerns about overstepping professional boundaries without formal education or clear guidelines. Further, a lack of professional confidence is a barrier among professionals who avoid discussing nutrition in practice. They express feeling hypocritical if they are not in optimal shape themselves and raise concerns about body image and weight-related triggers in both therapists and clients (Stromsnes, 2024). Additionally, time and resource constraints contribute to the issue, as time-sensitive therapy sessions prevent in-depth conversations about diet (Aprifel, 2025). Figure 3 summarizes some identified barriers to implementing nutrition into clinical mental healthcare.
Figure 3. Barriers to implementing nutrition into Clinical mental health care
Interprofessional Collaboration
Recent studies underscore the critical role of interprofessional collaboration between dietitians and mental health professionals, particularly in addressing depression and related conditions. Stenz and Jansen (2023) explored the collaborative dynamics between dietitians and psychologists, highlighting how both professions perceive and apply the growing body of research linking nutrition and depression.
Their findings, based on a survey of both groups, indicate that while there is universal recognition (100%) of the bidirectional relationship between diet and depression, differences emerge in practical application. For example, 81% of psychologists report discussing diet in relation to depression with clients, compared to only 47% of dietitians. Furthermore, all surveyed dietitians (100%) believe psychologists should refer diet-related issues to them (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. Stenz and Jansen (2023), psychologists’ and dietitians’ perspectives on the practical application of nutrition and depression research
Both psychologists and dietitians recognize the bidirectional relationship between diet and depression.
However, limited training in each other’s respective fields remains a barrier. Less than 20% of psychologists reported having undergraduate coursework in nutrition, and only 2% received graduate-level training in this field. While 85% of dietitians had some psychology coursework, mostly at the introductory level, this limited exposure has not equipped professionals with the depth of knowledge needed to integrate both fields confidently. These gaps point to a broader need for structured training programs that bridge the divide between nutritional science and mental health practice.
The scope of practice for each type of professional remains another area of disconnect. While 63% of psychologists believe discussing diet is within their professional scope, only 12% of dietitians agree. Conversely, 69% of psychologists think mood falls within a dietitian’s scope, compared to just 44% of dietitians. Despite these discrepancies, nearly all participants (100% of psychologists and 94% of dietitians) agreed that improved collaboration would improve patient care.
Most psychologists and dietitians agree that collaboration between the two professions would improve patient care.
Complementing this, Teasdale et al. (2023) examined the roles of dietitians in mental health settings through a cross-sectional survey of 48 professionals, primarily from inpatient services. The study revealed that dietitians often face systemic barriers, including a lack of awareness about their role in mental health care and insufficient tools for nutrition screening specific to mental health populations. Dietitians reported providing individual consultations and group sessions and participating in multidisciplinary teams, but highlighted a need for additional mental health training to integrate fully into such teams. More training, resources, and an increased evidence base were identified as crucial for better service provision.
Dietitians highlighted a need for additional mental health training to integrate fully into multidisciplinary teams.
Both studies converge on a central message: interprofessional collaboration between psychologists and dietitians is essential but underdeveloped. Better integration requires increased awareness of each profession’s contributions, targeted training, and a stronger evidence base to support practice. Addressing these gaps would not only enhance collaborative care but also improve outcomes for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.
Facilitating Conversations: Partnership Between Dietitians and Mental Health Clinicians
Interprofessional collaboration between dietitians and psychologists may begin with facilitating conversations about food and nutrition. Beckman (2025a), a dietitian specializing in eating disorders, emphasizes that mental health clinicians play an important role in identifying whether clients are meeting basic nutritional needs, such as eating regularly and consuming nutrient-dense foods. She recommends ongoing communication between professionals to create a full picture of a client’s overall health. While Beckman specifically refers to psychiatrists, the same principles apply to psychologists, who likewise benefit from understanding how nutritional factors influence mood, medication effectiveness, and treatment outcomes (Beckman, 2025b).
While informal communication strategies can support collaboration, formalized models of interdisciplinary care may offer even greater benefits in complex clinical settings.
A recent initiative proposed an interprofessional model of care for eating disorders called Interprofessional Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-IE). This model integrates psychologists and dietitians in co-delivering treatment with clearly defined, complementary roles (Bray et al., 2023). While CBT-IE exemplifies structured collaboration between psychologists and dietitians within the context of eating disorders, there is a clear lack of collaboration in addressing broader mental health issues, such as mood, emotion regulation, and cognitive functioning. Extending and adapting such structured models beyond the context of eating disorders presents an opportunity to expand collaboration and provide a more robust, evidence-based foundation for integrating nutrition into mental health care. One of the core missions of The Center for Nutritional Psychology is to facilitate collaboration and communication between nutrition and psychology by addressing existing barriers and expanding integrated care to the broader field of mental health.
Barriers and Benefits to Interprofessional Collaboration
Role confusion often hinders interprofessional collaboration between psychologists and dietitians in the context of mental health care. Without clearly defined scopes of practice, psychologists may inadvertently offer nutritional advice, while dietitians may refrain from addressing mood-related concerns (Stenz & Jansen, 2023).
Other key barriers include challenges in interprofessional communication, such as differing professional terminology (due to a lack of formalized interdisciplinary language), differing client interaction styles, and practical issues like billing and financial feasibility (Rich et al., 2020; Stenz & Jansen, 2023). Notably, however, in the field of eating disorder treatment, many of these challenges have been overcome through the development of best practices and improved communication strategies (Jeffrey & Heruk, 2020; Yang et al., 2021; Stenz & Jansen, 2023; Bray et al., 2023). This success highlights the potential for similar interdisciplinary approaches to be applied effectively in the treatment of other mental health conditions, including depression.
When collaboration is thoughtfully and systematically implemented, clinicians can incorporate nutrition-informed mental healthcare without exceeding their scope of practice.
What Interdisciplinary Training Exists for Psychologists and Nutritionists?
Currently, psychologists’ scope of practice does not include nutrition-related diagnosis and intervention, while dietitians and nutritionists are not licensed to diagnose or treat psychological and mental health disorders. Systematic efforts, however, have been underway for quite some time to bridge the gap between the psychological and nutritional sciences, beginning with the development of the first university-level continuing education courses in Nutritional Psychology, taught to psychologists and mental health professionals at JFK University from 2008 through 2011 (see Figure 5).
Figure 5. CNP’s history and development of Nutritional Psychology
Building on these courses, the American Psychological Association approved a seven-course Certificate in Nutritional Psychology for inclusion within JFK University’s Continuing Education program, which provided continuing education to licensed mental health professionals. This Certificate included initial scope of practice guidelines in nutritional psychology and was taught until 2020.
The Center for Nutritional Psychology was established to support the identification, consolidation, categorization, and synthesis of research at the intersection of the psychological and nutritional sciences.
In 2015, the Center for Nutritional Psychology (CNP) was established to support the identification, consolidation, categorization, and synthesis of research at the intersection of the psychological and nutritional sciences. From these efforts came the development of methods, language, concepts, and the theoretical foundation necessary to establish a formalized, systematic, and empirically derived interconnection between the psychological and nutritional sciences, foster interdisciplinary communication, further delineate scope of practice criteria, and equip practitioners with practical tools to integrate psychological and nutritional education into professional practice.
CNP as an organization has strived to develop evidence-based continuing education for professionals in accordance with major licensing bodies within the psychological and nutritional sciences. Accordingly, CNP is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) to provide CE to Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs), and Licensed Educational Psychologists (LEPs), and by the National Board of Certified Counselors to sponsor CE for National Certified Counselors (NCCs). CNP is also approved to sponsor Continuing Professional Education Units (CPEUs) for Dietitians/Nutritionists and registered Dietetic Technicians (DTRs) through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Interdisciplinary Education Versus Clinical Intervention
The scope of practice for psychologists and other licensed mental health professionals does not include diagnosing, treating, and providing nutritional interventions. Similarly, dietitians and nutritionists are not licensed to diagnose or treat mental health issues. However, this does not mean professionals should not be trained on the psychological, behavioral, neurobiological, social, cognitive, and sensory-perceptual processes through which diet, nutrients, and psychological processes interconnect.
Mental health professionals benefit from expanding their knowledge to include evidence-based understanding of how dietary choices and patterns influence brain function, psychological processes, emotional regulation, mental health experience, and outcomes without stepping into clinical nutrition interventions. One way, for example, in which psychological processes inform our understanding of the connection between diet and mental health (the diet-mental health relationship) is through knowledge of how early relationships influence adolescent and adult eating behaviors. This influence, in turn, affects mental health outcomes and the mental health-obesity connection.
Research shows that insecure attachment to parents can set the stage for disordered eating during adolescence. A multiwave longitudinal study by Cortés-García et al. (2022) tracked over 900 youths and found that insecure attachment to mothers in late childhood significantly increased the risk of developing eating disorder symptoms by mid-adolescence, an effect not observed with paternal attachment. This relationship was mediated by depressive symptoms: insecure maternal attachment at ages 10–12 predicted increased depressive symptoms at 12–14, which then led to more disordered eating behaviors by ages 14–16. These findings highlight the particular influence of the mother-child bond on adolescent emotional health and eating behaviors (see Figure 6).
Figure 6. Cortés-García et al. (2022)
In addition, dietitians and nutritionists trained in psychological, behavioral, and cognitive factors that influence food choices, habits, and dietary behaviors are better equipped to understand the barriers and motivations preventing clients from adopting nutrition interventions.
The “vicious cycle model,” for example (see Figure), shows how repeated consumption of hyperpalatable foods may impair hippocampal function, increasing sensitivity to food cues and promoting further overeating. Specifically, this model describes how the intake of hyperpalatable foods associated with the Western Diet impairs hippocampal-dependent memory and learning, increasing susceptibility to food cues and promoting further overeating, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of cognitive decline and obesity (see Figure 7).
Figure 7. Vicious Cycle Model
These examples illustrate powerful concepts illuminating the relationship between psychological and nutritional factors, which are currently missing from academic education and clinical practice in both professions. These factors influence dietary intake behavior and the obesity-depression relationship. Together, these examples illustrate how psycho-nutritional education falls within the scope of practice for both Psychologists and Dietitians/Nutritionists; However, intervention and treatment must remain within each profession’s licensure boundaries. Professionals can use this knowledge to enhance their practice within their existing licensure and qualifications.
Preliminary Scope of Practice Guidelines
Preliminary Scope of Practice guidelines for licensed psychologists were introduced and taught in the Introductory Certificate in Nutritional Psychology through JFK University. This certificate included a 3-unit course devoted to practice guidelines for psychologists. This curriculum was retired in 2020 to make way for the vastly updated, fully evidence-based Introductory Certificate in Nutritional Psychology (called the NP-100 Series Certificate) now offered through the Center for Nutritional Psychology. All 124 hours of continuing education included in this CNP Certificate lie within the realm of psychoeducation, and accordingly, are designed to fit within the scope of practice for all psychologists, mental health professionals, nutritionists, and dietitians.
Mental Health Professionals (Psychologists, Licensed Counselors):
Mental health professionals (unless licensed to do so) may not provide clinically-based nutrition assessment, diagnosis, or intervention involving diets or supplements unless licensed in nutrition, dietetics, or a related area. Examples of how licensed psychologists and mental health professionals may provide psychonutritional education within scope include:
- Using evidence-based NP knowledge to contextualize, educate, and support clients in understanding how their dietary intake could be influencing their mental health, and vice versa.
- For example, discussing how childhood affective attachment patterns may influence an individual’s likelihood of engaging in disordered eating or using food intake as a coping mechanism.
- Explaining how dietary intake patterns can influence neurological, cognitive, perceptual, social, behavioral, psychological, interoceptive, and brain-gut processes to shape psychological health, eating behavior, and well-being.
- How psychological factors like motivation, food insecurity, social environments, and daily stressors influence dietary behavior.
- Addressing challenges one may face when attempting to adopt healthier eating patterns and habits, and how certain dietary or environmental factors can affect their food choices and intake patterns.
- How healthy eating patterns can benefit one’s relationship with food and their psychological health and well-being.
Dietitians & Nutritionists:
Dietitians (unless licensed to do so) may not provide mental health assessment, diagnosis, or intervention. Dietitians may provide clients with evidence-based education on the connection between nutrition, psychology, and mental health. This includes the cognitive, behavioral, and mood-based factors influencing eating behavior and dietary patterns. Dietitians can be trained to recognize how certain foods may lead to physiological neuroadaptive changes in brain regions that affect eating behavior, emotional regulation, and stress resilience. They also might explore how psychosocial factors in their environment, such as their family or community, influence their clients’ food choices or discuss how cognitive attention priorities and decision-making change when hungry or eating certain dietary patterns. This training and knowledge can powerfully supplement dietitians’ and nutritionists’ knowledge, enriching their understanding of how diet and human experience interconnect without overstepping professional limits.
Bridging the Gap and Expanding Education & Training
Bridging the gap between nutrition and mental healthcare is increasingly recognized as essential due to mounting evidence that diet directly and significantly impacts mental well-being. As programs like “Food is Medicine” gain traction, developing new language interconnecting these two fields (Stenz & Jansen, 2023), graduate-level coursework on evidence-based nutrition counseling and mental health (Stromsnes, 2024), and making nutritional education mandatory for mental health professionals at both undergraduate and graduate levels (Mörkl, 2021) can empower professionals to integrate nutrition into mental health care and enable more comprehensive patient care, while improving prevention and treatment outcomes, aligning practice with the latest scientific evidence, and alleviating practitioners’ hesitation about their respective scopes of practice.
Standing at the Crossroads of Solutions
The relationship between diet, psychological health, and well-being is complex, bidirectional, and requires interdisciplinary efforts. Consolidating emerging evidence in nutritional psychology provides a theoretical foundation connecting the psychological and nutritional sciences. These efforts support the development of shared language education, training, and collaboration across disciplines, lessening the barriers between them and their professionals, and improving interdisciplinary treatment approaches to address the obesity, depression, and mental health epidemic affecting global populations. In conclusion, the development of the interdisciplinary field of nutritional psychology expands mental health and nutrition professionals’ education and skills, deepening their understanding of the connection between diet and psychological processes, experiences, and outcomes, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
This CNP conceptual article is brought to you by The Center for Nutritional Psychology. Visit us at www.nutritional-psychology.org to find out more about future directions in the connection between diet and mental health and to join our mission to support the inclusion of nutrition within mental healthcare by 2030.
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