Systematic evidence and gap map of research linking food security and nutrition to mental health

Thalia M Sparling; Megan Deeney; Bryan Cheng; Xuerui Han; Chiara Lier; Zhuozhi Lin; Claudia Offner; Marianne V Santoso; Erin Pfeiffer; Jillian A Emerson; Florence Mariamu Amadi; Khadija Mitu; Camila Corvalan; Helen Verdeli; Ricardo Araya; Suneetha Kadiyala

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-32116-3

Systematic evidence and gap map of research linking food security and nutrition to mental health

Nat Commun. 2022 Aug 8;13(1):4608. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-32116-3.

Authors

Thalia M Sparling¹, Megan Deeney², Bryan Cheng³, Xuerui Han³, Chiara Lier³, Zhuozhi Lin⁴, Claudia Offner², Marianne V Santoso⁵, Erin Pfeiffer⁶, Jillian A Emerson⁷, Florence Mariamu Amadi⁸, Khadija Mitu⁹, Camila Corvalan¹⁰, Helen Verdeli³, Ricardo Araya¹¹, Suneetha Kadiyala²

Affiliations

¹ London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK. thalia.sparling@lshtm.ac.uk.
² London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
³ Global Mental Health Lab, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
⁴ Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Maryland, MD, USA.
⁵ Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
⁶ Independent Consultant, Winston-, Salem, NC, USA.
⁷ Vitamin Angels, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
⁸ Food for the Hungry, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
⁹ Department of Anthropology, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
¹⁰ Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
¹¹ Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Abstract

Connections between food security and nutrition (FSN) and mental health have been analytically investigated, but conclusions are difficult to draw given the breadth of literature. Furthermore, there is little guidance for continued research. We searched three databases for analytical studies linking FSN to mental health. Out of 30,896 records, we characterized and mapped 1945 studies onto an interactive Evidence and Gap Map (EGM). In these studies, anthropometry (especially BMI) and diets were most linked to mental health (predominantly depression). There were fewer studies on infant and young child feeding, birth outcomes, and nutrient biomarkers related to anxiety, stress, and mental well-being. Two-thirds of studies hypothesized FSN measures as the exposure influencing mental health outcomes. Most studies were observational, followed by systematic reviews as the next largest category of study. One-third of studies were carried out in low- and middle-income countries. This map visualizes the extent and nature of analytical studies relating FSN to mental health and may be useful in guiding future research.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child
Diet
Food Security
Humans
Income*
Infant
Mental Health*
Nutrients