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The first university-level continuing education series connecting the psychological and nutritional sciences
It's an outstanding introductory course. A great deal of highly useful, cutting-edge information is packed into a relatively short course and it is clearly presented in a way that will reach a variety of students with varying educational backgrounds and interests. —NP 110 Learner
NP 110 is the first course in the five-course NP 100 Series Introductory Certificate in Nutritional Psychology taught through The Center for Nutritional Psychology (CNP). More than two decades in the making, this certificate program is an essential starting point, paving the way for deeper exploration for future applications of nutritional psychology in the NP 200 Educational Applications Series (available in 2025-2026). NP 110 is for anyone seeking to develop their understanding of nutritional psychology’s concepts, language, and methods and who wishes to better understand the diet-mental health relationship (DMHR).
Nutritional psychology is gaining attention for its role in understanding the interconnection between the psychological and nutritional sciences. Early adoption of this knowledge positions you as a pioneer in an expanding area of expertise.
NP 110 is an interdisciplinary, post-graduate-level Continuing Education (CE) course designed to introduce the theoretical foundation within Nutritional Psychology (NP). It defines the emerging field, presents its unique language, and explores evidence connecting the psychological and nutritional sciences.
Learners are introduced to the six primary relationships within nutritional psychology: the diet-psychological, diet-behavioral, diet-cognitive, diet-interoceptive, diet-sensory-perceptual, and diet-psychosocial relationships. Learners are also introduced to the primary dietary patterns used in nutritional psychology research, including the Mediterranean Diet, DASH diet, MIND diet, AHEI, DII, and Ketogenic diets.
Studies illustrate the complex relationships between diet, psychological processes, functioning, and experience. Thus, learners develop an intimate understanding of how dietary choices influence psychological states and how psychological states impact dietary choices and preferences. Upon completing this course, Learners gain a solid foundation in Nutritional Psychology (NP) and empower Learners to understand the core principles of NP, explore the seminal studies illuminating the existence of the Diet-Mental Health Relationship (DMHR) within nutritional psychology, and begin to recognize the practical applications and boundaries of this information within clinical and educational settings. By integrating these insights, Learners will be better equipped to support psychological health and well-being through informed dietary choices and evidence-based theory and practices.
This foundational course establishes the theoretical foundation in nutritional psychology and provides educational information based on scientific evidence, but does not provide assessment, diagnosis, or intervention skills. Its goal is to equip Learners with the knowledge to understand and engage with this emerging field (course flyer, APA, CDR, NBCC version, CAMFT version).
This course is fully online, self-paced, and text-based, with figures/diagrams, powerpoint presentations, and short animated videos. This course has a syllabus, seven modules, quizzes, one final exam, and a course evaluation. The pace with which you complete this course will depend on your personal reading, comprehension, and learning style.
Once enrolled, Learners have full online access to this course for 3 months (90 days). This course is fully self-contained, and no additional materials are needed for its completion. This course must be completed in its entirety to receive course credit and an NP 110 Certificate of completion. No partial credit is given. This course is not downloadable. However, for each module, Learners may download a Module Download Kit containing all of the terms & definitions, figures and illustrations, lightbulb moments (short evidence-based factoids), and APA-formatted references.
CNP is committed to identifying and resolving potential conflicts of interest in planning, promoting, delivering, and evaluating its continuing education curriculum and programs. As an APA-approved continuing education sponsor, and consistent with concepts outlined in the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, no individual involved in the planning, promotion, delivery, or evaluation of CNP continuing education has any personal, professional, legal, financial, or other interests that could reasonably be expected to impair his, her, or their objectivity, competence, or effectiveness.
Learners completing NP 110 are introduced to Nutritional Psychology (NP), terms and definitions defining the field, the core relationships characterizing its nature, methods used, and the predominant dietary patterns studied in the diet-mental health relationship.
CNP is approved to sponsor Continuing Education (CE) for professionals through the following organizations:
CNP maintains responsibility for this program and its content. CNP, the organization offering this course, is committed to ethical standards, resolving conflicts of interest in its programs, and ensuring unbiased, evidence-based education. Registering for NP 110 indicates that you have read and agreed to CNP’s Course Policy.
NP 110 provides 10 CE for Psychologists, RDs, DTRs, LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs, and 8 CE for National Certified Counselors (NCCs). The NBCC excludes learner time spent on syllabi, quizzes, and the course final. Please contact the NBCC should you have questions.
There are no prerequisites to take NP 110: Introduction to Nutritional Psychology Methods. It is recommended for those wishing to complete the NP 100 Introductory Certificate in Nutritional Psychology to take all courses in the following sequence: NP 110, NP 120 Part I, NP 120 Part II, NP 150 Part I, and NP 150 Part II.
A: Yes, this course is taught fully online through the CNP website and can be completed at your own pace.
A: Yes, NP 110 has open enrollment and you can begin at any time.
A: NP 110 takes between 8-10 hours to complete, depending on your learning style and previous experience in nutrition and psychology. If this information is new to you, it may take more time to complete.
Proper NP 110 citation format: Author(s) (last name, first initial). (Year retrieved). Module Number: Module Title; Section Title (e.g., Module 3: The Diet-Cognitive Relationship; Neurodevelopment through the Lifespan). In (Ed.), Course title. Publishing organization. Web address.
A: Yes, a description of nutritional psychology is published in: Elsner, F., Matthiessen, L. E., Średnicka-Tober, D., Marx, W., O'Neil, A., Welch, A. A., Hayhoe, R. P., Higgs, S., van Vliet, M., Morphew-Lu, E., Kazimierczak, R., Góralska-Walczak, R., Kopczyńska, K., Steenbuch Krabbe Bruun, T., Rosane, B. P., Gjedsted Bügel, S., & Strassner, C. (2022). Identifying future study designs for mental health and social wellbeing associated with diets of a cohort living in eco-regions: Findings from the INSUM expert workshop. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(1), 669. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010669
"This course will definitely help me in my study and practice. I have an interest for the subject and understood the key role and importance of our dietary patterns and mental health. I now know specifics to integrate in my life and practice, to help clients, patients, students, family and friends. Such as the 6 elements, research, relations from individual to extra individual factors. It validates my values and desires to learn and support others with this information, helps me help people to have conscious and awareness of their dietary intake and how much it affects their lives."
"I recently completed your NP110 and was blown away by the structure, delivery method, references, quality of content and level of support from your staff throughout the course."
"This information will infuence the way I practice psychology."
Ephi Lu holds an M.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois and a Diploma in Comprehensive Nutrition. Ephi has combined her dual education in Psychology and Nutrition to develop the first university-level courses in Nutritional Psychology beginning in 2008. Joining with Dr. Amanda Hull and other coauthors, Ephi led the development of the first 7-course Continuing Education Certificate Program in NP through JFK University from 2008 to 2020.
Vladimir Hedrih is a full professor of psychology at the University of Niš in Serbia with more than two decades of research and teaching experience. His fields of research and expertise include organizational psychology, research methodology, nutritional psychology, and the study of social trauma. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Psihologija. Professor Hedrih contributes to curriculum development in nutritional psychology.
Dr. Kristine Lokken is a neuropsychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) Medical Center. Dr. Lokken’s background includes clinical research, medical neuropsychology, and health psychology. Dr. Lokken is supporting developing the Diet and Cognitive Relationship (DCR) element of Nutritional Psychology within NP 110.
Ms. Doswell has an MS in Clinical Mental Health and Counseling and completed the original seven-course Certificate in Nutritional Psychology from JFK University. She assisted in developing the Interoceptive element of NP. Chelsea incorporates her knowledge of the Diet-Mental Health Relationship into her clinical work, supporting those suffering from eating disorders.
Stephanie Greunke is a Registered Dietitian specializing in Maternal Nutrition and Mental Health. She holds additional certifications in Perinatal Mental Health, Behavioral Psychology, and Nutritional Psychology and is an internationally recognized speaker. Stephanie has contributed her expertise in NP 110 by developing materials within the course that explain the different dietary patterns traditionally used in Diet-Mental Health Research.
Dr. Stroebele-Benschop is a Full Professor at the Institute of Nutritional Medicine at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany. She is a psychologist and researcher in nutritional psychology. Her research focuses on health behavior changes using a wide range of research methods, from experimental settings to public health approaches. Dr. Stroebel has supported the development of the research methods within NP 110.
This module introduces the foundational terms, definitions, and major relationships within nutritional psychology, emphasizing the role of nutrition in psychological functioning and mental health. It explores the Six Relationship Elements of Nutritional Psychology: the Diet-Psychological, Diet-Behavioral, Diet-Cognitive, Diet-Sensory-Perceptual, Diet-Interoceptive, and Diet-Psychosocial Relationships. Additionally, it reviews research methods used in the field, including experimental, non-experimental, survey-based, and single-subject research approaches. It introduces Learners to how these elements and methodologies contribute to understanding the connections between diet and mental health.
Module 2 delves into the Diet-Psychological Relationship (DPR), highlighting the interconnected relationship between dietary intake and psychological functioning and well-being. Students explore key research supporting the DPR’s role in depression, mood, and overall well-being and major dietary patterns studied in DPR research, including the Mediterranean Diet, DASH Diet, MIND Diet, AHEI, and eDII. The module covers DPR bi-directionality, research categories, and experimental and evidence-based studies on diet and depression. Additionally, dietary intake’s positive and negative effects on psychological well-being are examined, with key terms and definitions introduced throughout.
This module explores the concepts involved in the Diet-Behavior Relationship (DBR), including anticipation, availability, conditioning, palatability, hedonic eating, satiety, hunger, craving, and the fructose survival pathway. It also covers behavioral control mechanisms and the role of reward in eating. Key concepts include the differences between hedonic and homeostatic eating, the neural circuitry involved, and the impact of highly palatable and hyper-palatable foods (HPFs). Additionally, it examines factors like satiation, craving, snacking, pleasure in food intake, and how chronic stress influences emotional eating and food choices, particularly in restricted or restrained eating. Definitions of terms related to DBR are also introduced.
This module explores the Diet-Cognitive Relationship (DCR), examining how dietary patterns influence cognitive functions such as memory, attention, learning, reasoning, and decision-making. It integrates current research to illustrate these connections and introduces key terms and definitions within the DCR framework. Topics include neuroanatomical and cognitive development across life stages (prenatal and childhood), the mesocorticolimbic dopamine reward/motivation system, attention processes, hippocampal-dependent learning and memory, executive functions, and neural systems regulating food intake. The module also highlights possible DCR-informed treatment interventions to optimize cognitive health through diet.
This module examines the Diet-Sensory-Perceptual Relationship (DSPR), exploring how dietary patterns interact with sensory-perceptual processes, including sight, sound, smell, taste, and texture, and how these influence food preferences, choices, and intake. Key terms and definitions within the DSPR framework are introduced. Topics include the role of smell, taste, flavor, and texture in dietary experiences, the impact of texture on satiety and food processing, and visual and auditory influences on food choice. The module also addresses visual-perceptual salience, the bi-directional relationship between visual processing and food response, cephalic phase responses (CPRs), and post-ingestive sensations, illustrating how sensory inputs shape dietary behaviors.
This section explores the Diet-Interoceptive Relationship (DIR), focusing on interoception—the “eighth sense”—which involves perceiving the body’s internal physiological state in relation to dietary intake. Key interoceptive sensations and an Interoceptive Awareness (IA) model are introduced to enhance awareness of how internal signals influence eating behaviors. Topics include the role of the anterior insular cortex in interoception, individual differences in IA, and how highly palatable foods, emotional eating, and obesity are linked to interoceptive processes. The section also highlights the impact of mindfulness on insular connectivity and IA, culminating in the Diet-Mental Health Relationship IA Model. Key terms and definitions within the DIR framework are provided.
This module examines the Diet-Psychosocial Relationship (DPSR), exploring how family, culture, community, society, and socioeconomic factors shape dietary intake patterns. Key terms and definitions within the DPSR framework are introduced. Topics include the influence of social norms on eating behaviors across different contexts—youth, community, culture, and snacking—as well as the social facilitation of eating, bi-directional influences in snacking behavior, and the role of social modeling in shaping dietary choices.
Module 1 introduces the Six Elements of Nutritional Psychology (NP) and their key terms and definitions. These relationships explore the connections between diet and psychological, behavioral, cognitive, sensory-perceptual, interoceptive, and psychosocial factors. Various research methods used in the field are highlighted, including experimental, non-experimental, survey-based, and single-subject designs, to investigate these complex relationships. Commonalities between symptoms of clinical disorders and nutrient dysregulation are explored.
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Module Quiz
10 questions
Module 2 delves into the Diet-Psychological Relationship (DPR), a concept in Nutritional Psychology that explores how dietary intake influences psychological functioning. The DPR exists on a continuum, with outcomes ranging from positive effects, such as happiness, optimism, and life satisfaction (Positive Dietary Intake Effects or PDIE), to negative impacts. Understanding these connections helps highlight diet's significant role in shaping psychological well-being.
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Module Quiz
8 questions
This module explores the behavioral processes influencing dietary intake, known as the Diet-Behavioral Relationship (DBR). A key focus is on Highly Palatable Foods (HPFs), which uniquely impact brain reward centers and cognitive circuitry, affecting appetite, dietary choices, and intake behavior.
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Module Quiz
8 questions
Module 4 introduces the Diet-Cognitive Relationship (DCR). This module builds on the concepts introduced in Module 3, where we looked at the behaviors associated with dietary intake. This module focuses on the cognitive processes that drive these dietary intake behaviors. The Diet-Cognitive Relationship (DCR) is complex and multi-dimensional. As we have already discussed, a strong relationship exists between what we eat and how we feel. Many are surprised to discover that there is also a strong connection between what we eat and our ability to think, reason, inhibit behavior, and decide.
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Module Quiz
10 questions
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10 questions
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Module Quiz
11 questions
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Module Quiz
10 questions
This course provides 10 CE/CPEU for Psychologists, Registered Dietitians (RDs) and Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTRs), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs), Licensed Educational Psychologists (LEPs), and 8 CE for National Certified Counselors (NCCs). Learners must complete the course along with the course evaluation to receive credit for this course.
CNP provides university-level, evidence-based Continuing Education (CE) for professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of the relationship between diet and mental health. By integrating the latest research in nutritional psychology, CNP ensures that its courses are rooted in scientifically validated principles, offering a comprehensive and credible foundation for practice. This commitment to evidence-based education empowers healthcare providers, mental health professionals, nutritionists, and educators to apply cutting-edge insights to their work, bridging the gap between nutrition and psychological well-being.
We are approved to sponsor CE for psychologists, mental health professionals, counselors, dietitians, nutritionists, and other professionals whose licensing bodies accept CE from APA, CDR, CAMFT, and NCC. If finances are a barrier to accessing NP 110, see our NP 110 Scholarship Program which accepts applications during two submission periods per year: Scholarship Program
CNP is approved to sponsor Continuing Education for:
The information in this course is not meant to, nor should it ever be used, to treat, mitigate, or cure psychiatric illness. This information should never be used as a substitute for sound medical advice. This course is educational in nature and is designed to introduce professionals, students, and interested individuals in developing their understanding of the connection between diet and all aspects of psychological functioning and mental health. Best practices for how to integrate this information professionally, ethically, and within the standards of practice will be covered in upcoming courses. While this information can be incorporated into one’s practice within an educational framework, it cannot be used to provide dietary advice, any form of dietary intervention, or to treat any psychological or mental health issues.
