Nutritional Psychology (NP) is an emerging interdisciplinary field exploring the intricate, bidirectional relationships between nutrition and psychology. Situated at the intersection between the nutritional and psychological sciences, NP examines how what we eat influences how we think, feel, and experience life through the complex biological, psychological, social, and environmental pathways enabled by our dietary intake patterns.

The Conceptual Framework of Nutritional Psychology — the first evidence-based theoretical model defining and structuring this discipline—was developed by the CNP research team and published in Behavioral Sciences (Stroebele-Benschop et al., 2025). This framework establishes NP’s theoretical foundations, structure, and six-domain categorization that together guides ongoing research, education, and application in this domain (read the full article).

As this emerging field gains recognition, professionals across disciplines are beginning to identify gaps in their own education. Psychologists and mental health professionals 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. Similarly, nutritionists and dietitians often lack formal grounding in the psychosocial and cognitive dimensions of mental-health practice, limiting their ability to fully engage in the emerging NP domain (Kiskinis, Lu, & Gurrieri, 2025).

Systematic Method for Conceptualizing and Advancing the Field

Efforts to formalize the evidence-based theoretical framework connecting nutrition and psychology have evolved over the past two decades (Benschop et al., 2025; Gómez-Pinilla, 2008). Since 2015, CNP has systematically identified, reviewed, categorized, and synthesized thousands of studies bridging these disciplines, culminating in the development of the Conceptual Framework for Nutritional Psychology—a model that unifies this growing body of research into a coherent structure.

What kinds of questions are explored in Nutritional Psychology?
What drives us to eat certain foods?
Do certain types of foods change brain function?
Does your personality influence what you eat?
Do social environments affect dietary intake patterns?
Does the color of food influence food choice?
Can dietary patterns impact emotions?
How does nutrition influence memory?
Can what we eat improve school grades?
Is there a connection between diet and performance?
Do certain foods make us crave? 
Why do our dietary intake patterns influence moods? 
Can our diet influence our resilience to stress?
Can vegetables increase creativity?
Is there a relationship between sleep and nutrition?
How does food influence behavior?
Can skipping breakfast change children's behavior?
Can foods affect our cognitive processes?
Can diet be used to support mental health?
Do sights, smells, and sounds influence food choice?
Can the foods we eat make us feel sensations?
Can what we eat influence our psychological processes?
Can diet influence our behavior?

Core Domains within the NP Framework

Through this work, CNP has developed the first evidence-based theoretical foundation conceptualizing the field of Nutritional Psychology. This framework organizes research across multiple scientific disciplines into six interconnected core domains that together inform ongoing research, education, and the integration of nutrition into mental healthcare (Stroebele-Benschop et al., 2025).

CNP’s framework provides a clear, structured, and unified vision of the nutrition–mental health relationship —guiding research, education, and the practical application of NP.

Conceptual Framework Helps Develop the Field by…

  • Inspiring a shared interdisciplinary language that fosters collaboration across domains
  • Guiding the creation of evidence-based continuing education
  • Informing the development of research initiatives
  • Translating scientific findings into practical clinical applications for professionals within scope
  • Encouraging interdisciplinary efforts within a unified framework
  • Expanding professional training for professionals

In essence, the conceptual framework within nutritional psychology provides the systematic development of a field of study that provides professionals with theoretical foundations, biological mechanisms and clinical applications for practice within their scope of practice.

Learn More & Explore Resources

The Conceptual Framework anchors all of CNP’s educational and research initiatives, including:

  • Education Programs— professional training and certification in Nutritional Psychology.
  • Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology — key terms and definitions grounded in the six domains.
  • Research Summaries— domain-specific, peer-reviewed studies.
  • Nutritional Psychology Research Library (NPRL) — curated studies supporting the Conceptual Framework.

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The Six Core Domains of Nutritional Psychology

As Nutritional Psychology continues to evolve, this conceptual framework defines six core domains, each rooted in interdisciplinary evidence and designed to illuminate the various ways diet influences psychological and behavioral functioning.

Rooted in the 2025 foundational paper by the CNP team, this six-domain framework defines the structure of Nutritional Psychology, aligns research terminology, and advances integrative education and practice.

Core Domain Focus / Key Questions
Diet-Conative / Affective How do motivations, drives, and emotions toward food influence eating behavior? How can diet influence affective states (e.g., mood, emotional regulation)?
Diet-Cognitive In what ways do nutrients and dietary patterns interconnect with cognition, attention, memory, and executive functions?
Diet-Sensory / Perceptual How do taste, smell, texture, food cues, and perception influence food preference and experience?
Diet-Interoceptive How do internal bodily signals (e.g., hunger, satiety, gut sensations) influence eating behavior and mental well-being?
Diet-Psychosocial How do social, cultural, environmental, and interpersonal factors shape dietary behavior and psychological outcomes?
Diet-Environmental How do external systems (e.g., food systems, policy, marketing, ecology) influence the diet–mental health (DMHR) interface?

Interdisciplinary Scientific Foundations

This Conceptual Framework for nutritional psychology sits at the intersection of multiple disciplines, each offering unique perspectives and evidence and supporting the integration of interdisciplinary findings needed to support the conceptual and theoretical foundation of the field Diet–Mental Health Relationship (DMHR).

  • Psychology & behavioral science — food choice, emotional eating, eating disorders, and decision-making.
  • Nutrition science & physiology — nutrients, metabolism, biomarkers, and bodily functioning.
  • Neuroscience — neural circuits, neurochemistry, and brain responses influenced by diet.
  • Sensory science — how sensory inputs (taste, smell, visual cues) shape food behavior experience.
  • Social & cultural sciences — norms, culture, social determinants, and policy.
  • Environmental & systems science — food systems, sustainability, and marketing impacts.

Psychological, Behavioral, and Social Sciences Components of Nutritional Psychology

At its core, Psychology explores the intricate workings of the human mind and behavior, delving into the realms of cognition, emotion, mood, and perception to unravel the complex interplay between our thoughts, feelings, senses, and actions. Through the lens of psychology, NP examines the interconnections between our dietary intake and mental well-being, meticulously scrutinizing the profound impact that specific nutrients and dietary patterns exert on our mood, emotions, cognition, and emotions. This includes delving into the psychological, affective, and emotional aspects of food and eating behavior, encompassing food preferences, emotional eating, body perception, eating disorders, and the psychological implications stemming from diverse dietary patterns. NP also explores how social factors, such as cultural upbringing, prevailing societal norms, and personal beliefs, intricately shape our food choices, dietary intake patterns, and our underlying cognitive frameworks and behavioral responses towards nutrition.

Nutrition Sciences Component of Nutritional Psychology

At its core, Nutritional Sciences delve into the intricate workings of the human body and its physiological processes, exploring the complex interplay between nutrients, metabolism, and health outcomes. Through the lens of nutritional sciences, this facet of NP unravels the profound impact that specific nutrients, dietary patterns, and food choices exert on all aspects of our DMHR— including our cognitive processes and functions, mood regulation, and emotional well-being. This includes delving into the physiological, biochemical, and metabolic aspects of food and eating behavior, encompassing the relationships between nutrients and mood, cognitive performance, body composition, eating disorders, and the physiological implications stemming from diverse dietary choices. By synthesizing the empirical knowledge from the nutrition sciences within the broader scope of NP, researchers can illuminate the complex nexus between diet, nutrition, and mental well-being, paving the way for targeted interventions and personalized approaches to optimize mental health outcomes.

Neuroscience Component of Nutritional Psychology

At its core, Neuroscience delves into the intricate workings of the human brain and nervous system, exploring the complex interplay between neural processes, cognition, perception, and behavior. Through the lens of neuroscience, NP meticulously examines the profound impact that specific brain mechanisms and neural pathways exert on our mental states, emotions, and cognitive functions in relation to nutrition. This includes delving into the neurobiological, affective, and emotional aspects of food and eating behavior, encompassing neural correlates of food preferences, emotional eating, body perception, eating disorders, and the neuroscientific implications stemming from diverse dietary patterns. NP also explores how neurobiological and behavioral factors, such as neural circuitry, neurochemicals, stress response systems, genetic predispositions, cultural influences, and personal experiences, intricately shape our food choices, dietary intake patterns, and the underlying neural frameworks and behavioral responses towards nutrition.

Biochemical Component of Nutritional Psychology

At its core, Biochemistry unravels the intricate molecular processes occurring within living organisms, shedding light on the complex interplay between biochemical reactions, cellular metabolism, and physiological functions. Through a biochemically-oriented lens, NP meticulously delves into the molecular and cellular aspects of food and eating behavior, encompassing the biochemical factors underlying food preferences, emotional eating, body metabolism, nutrient deficiencies, and the biochemical implications arising from diverse dietary patterns. NP also explores how biochemical and physiological factors, such as enzyme activities, hormone levels, nutrient absorption, genetic variations, metabolic responses, and cellular signaling, intricately shape our food choices, dietary intake patterns, and the underlying biochemical frameworks and physiological responses towards nutrition. Understanding the intricate interplay between biochemistry and mental health within the context of nutrition provides valuable insights for developing targeted interventions and personalized dietary strategies to optimize mental well-being and promote psychological resilience within the purview of NP, lending insight into the DMHR.

Physiological Component of Nutritional Psychology

At its core, Physiology delves into the intricate workings of the human body, exploring the physiological processes that govern various bodily systems and functions. Through the lens of Physiology, NP intricately examines the interconnections between our dietary intake and physiological well-being, meticulously scrutinizing the profound influence that specific nutrients and dietary habits exert on our bodily processes, metabolism, and overall well-being. NP also explores physiological responses to dietary constituents like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, examining their impact on neurotransmitter function, hormonal regulation, and brain structure—revealing their roles in mood, cognition, and emotional states. Additionally, NP scrutinizes the physiological consequences of disordered eating patterns, from malnutrition to overconsumption, and their psychological implications. Deepening our knowledge in this domain fosters informed approaches to mental health, integrating nutrition, and enhancing our understanding of the DMHR.

Psychiatric component of Nutritional Psychology

At its core, Psychiatry delves into the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, utilizing various therapeutic interventions to aid individuals with clinical mental health conditions. Through the lens of psychiatry, nutritional psychology augments the burgeoning field of Nutritional Psychiatry by expanding its purview to encompass a broader array of disciplines within the psychological, behavioral, and social sciences. This entails delving into the intricate interplay between diet and nutrients with human emotion, behavior, sensory and perception, cognition, performance, and psychosocial and interoceptive experience. Through these fields, a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate connections between nutrition and all aspects of the diet-mental health relationship emerges, fostering the development of more effective strategies that complement traditional psychiatric treatments and increasing our understanding of the myriad factors at play within our DMHR.

What is the Evidence for Nutritional Psychology?

A strong and growing body of science shows that nutrition plays a key role in shaping psychological, behavioral, and cognitive health. Healthy, nutrient-rich diets are linked with better mental well-being, while processed, low-nutrient diets are associated with greater risk for mental health problems such as depression.

Research shows this relationship is bidirectional: our mental states influence what we eat, and our diets, in turn, influence how we feel and think.

The Nutritional Psychology Research Library (NPRL) is The Center for Nutritional Psychology’s online interdisciplinary repository linking to, categorizing and summarizing thousands of studies illustrating this relationship. Visit the NPRL Introduction page to learn more about research supporting this field.

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