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Implications of dietary intake and eating behaviors for people with serious mental illness: A qualitative study
Derangements in dietary quality and dietary habits are linked to negative impacts on mental health and to precipitating an increase in mental illnesses, a phenomenon that has gained increased traction in scientific research, spurring Mueller-Stierlin et al. (2022) to conduct their qualitative study, investigating the biopsychosocial part nutrition plays in a population of 28 individuals suffering from serious mental illness (SMI, ages 20 – 63, 61% females), recruited from three different healthcare facilities across Germany, Austria, and Australia. The participants submitted semi-structured interviews for data collection and were subjected to a generic thematic analysis. Diet was found to enhance the impact of treatment on somatic symptoms, self-efficacy, and pleasure, and was found to have positive impacts on the mind and body. On the other hand, dietary intake was found to negatively impact stigma perception, mental health impairments, and associated treatment, in addition to negative impacts on the mind and body. A majority of participants complained about their body weight and the associated negative mental health impacts, including stigma and guilt. The authors conclude that individuals suffering from SMI require expedited dietary support, which the lack of results in significant mental health burdens, including feelings of resignation and hopelessness. [NPID: Bipolar, depression, diet, implications, mental illness, nutrition, psychosis, qualitative study]
Year: 2022
