A Nutritional Component to Mental Healthcare by 2030

There is a crucial need to deliver better education to both the public and clinicians about the role of diet and nutrients in sustaining mental health (Huang 2019). CNP is the developer of the first university-based, accredited curriculum in Nutritional Psychology. The Certificate in Nutritional Psychology began in 2008 and evolved over a 12 year period to include a 7-course program dedicated to providing mental health professionals, educators, dietitians, health coaches, and counselors with formal curriculum in Nutritional Psychology. This long-standing program is currently being updated to account for the vast increase of information in the field. The first course in the next-generation NP curriculum, Introduction to Nutritional Psychology Methods, will be available through CNP starting March of 2021.

NP Culinary Skills Course for Children

Research is demonstrating the importance of teaching children and adolescents cooking skills. Better cooking skills lead to better cooking skills self-efficacy, dietary intake behavioral change, and healthier outcomes (check the CNP Parent Library to see). This course provides basic cooking skills for children, and teach them how these skills can be used to improve the way they feel.

NP Curriculum for University Students

This mini-curriculum is for college and university instructors who wish to introduce NP into their curriculum in a brief, modularized manner. Course content and materials are provided for one (or two) 50-minute class sessions. Presentation materials, background research, methodology, discussion points, experiential exercise, and quiz materials are provided.

NP Curriculum for Mental Health Professionals

This course introduces mental health professionals to Nutritional Psychology, and presents research informing the field, concepts, and client-oriented psycho-educational tools for understanding the Diet-Mental Health Relationship (DMHR).

NP Curriculum for Pediatricians and Health Professionals

This course introduces pediatric healthcare professionals to a quick set of tools that aid in increasing childrens’ perceptual and cognitive skills for selecting foods that are “mental-health supportive”.

NP Animated Curriculum for Kids (and their Parents)

This online animated curriculum is designed to help kids develop an intrinsic awareness of how what they eat can impact how they feel. The curriculum is designed to be funny while instilling kids with new cognitive and perceptual tools that increases their awareness of eating to support positive mental health.