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Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology

Nutritional Psychology

Evidence-informed definition Updated October 3, 2025 How to cite this entry

Nutritional Psychology (NP) explores the relationship between nutrition and various psychological processes, including cognition, emotion, behavior, psychosocial functioning, sensory perception, interoception (encompassing both the body and the brain), and mental health. NP is a scientific discipline that studies the bidirectional relationships between nutrition and all psychological processes involving the mind, including cognition, emotions, behavior, psychosocial functioning, sensory perception, interoceptive experience (encompassing both the body and brain), and mental health. Recognizing the multidimensional nature of these relationships, NP examines how nutrition influences psychological processes, how psychological states influence nutrition-related behaviors, and the factors that shape both (Stroebele-Benschop et al., 2025). 

Reference: Stroebele-Benschop, N., Hedrih, V., Behairy, S., Pervaiz, N., & Morphew-Lu, E. (2025). Conceptual framework for Nutritional Psychology as a new field of research. Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 15(8), 1007. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15081007

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Written by The Center for Nutritional Psychology
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The Center for Nutritional Psychology. (2025). Nutritional Psychology. In Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. The Center for Nutritional Psychology.

https://www.nutritional-psychology.org/encyclopedia/nutritional-psychology/
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