"Maybe it's Not Just the Food?" A Food and Mood Focus Group Study.

ABSTRACT: Epidemiological and intervention studies in nutritional psychiatry suggest that the risk of mood disorders is associated with what we eat. However, few studies use a person-centred approach to explore the food and mood relationship. In this qualitative study of 50 Australian participants, we explored individuals' experiences with food and mood as revealed during focus group discussions. Using a thematic template analysis, we identified three themes in the food and mood relationship: (i) social context: familial and cultural influences of food and mood, (ii) social economics: time, finance, and food security, and (iii) food nostalgia: unlocking memories that impact mood. Participants suggested that nutrients, food components or food patterns may not be the only way that

SUBMITTER: Lee MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9915006 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature