Nutritional Psychology

Social Isolation is Associated With Altered Neural Reactivity to the Sight of Food Summary A study published in JAMA Network Open examined how perceived social isolation affects the brain’s response to food and related eating behaviors in women. Researchers found that women who felt more socially isolated showed altered neural activity when viewing pictures of food , particularly in brain networks involved in appetite, motivation, decision-making, and attention (default mode, executive control, and visual attention networks). The study included 93 women aged 18–50 . Participants completed assessments of loneliness, diet quality, eating behaviors, food cravings, food addiction , resilience, and mental health . They also underwent fMRI scans while viewing images of sweet, savory, healthy, and unhealthy foods. Key findings showed that women with high perceived loneliness: Had higher body fat percentages Consumed lower-quality diets Reported more emotional and reward-driven e...

 Gut Microbiota Regulates the Diet-Anxiety Relationship Summary A new conceptual paper in Frontiers in Nutrition examines how gut microbiota influence the relationship between diet and anxiety. Drawing on 50 prior studies, the authors propose that gut microorganisms act as a key mediator linking dietary patterns to both anxiety symptoms and emotional eating behaviors. The paper highlights that anxiety not only affects what people eat but also creates a feedback loop that reinforces unhealthy dietary choices. Stress-induced eating, for example, leads individuals to choose foods high in sugar, trans fats, and additives. These foods activate reward circuits in the brain similar to addictive substances and contribute to inflammation, altered gut microbiota , and changes in emotional regulation. The authors describe several biological pathways connecting diet, gut microbes, and anxiety. These include modulation of the autonomic and enteric nervous systems, stress-related signaling t...

People Choose Healthier Food After Experiencing Nature A new series of five experiments, published in Communications Psychology , reveals a fascinating pattern: when people spend time in nature—or even just imagine it—they tend to choose healthier foods. This effect appeared across several countries, different types of foods and beverages, and even when participants simply viewed photos of natural environments. These findings highlight a powerful connection between nature exposure and dietary choices , suggesting that even brief moments with nature may motivate healthier eating. 🌿 Why Nature Matters for Health Nature has long been associated with better health and emotional well-being. Research consistently shows that spending time in green spaces—such as parks, forests, and gardens—is linked to: better overall health lower cardiovascular mortality (Gascon et al., 2016) improved cognitive development in children better psychological well-being (Dadvand et al., 2015; M...

  Chronic Insomnia and Ultra-Processed Foods: A Hidden Nutritional Psychology Connection Sleep plays a critical role in regulating not only mental and emotional health but also our relationship with food. When sleep becomes disrupted — especially in the case of chronic insomnia — the body and brain enter a state of imbalance that often manifests through changes in eating behavior. Emerging research in nutritional psychology has uncovered a striking pattern: people with chronic insomnia are more likely to consume ultra-processed foods , such as sugary snacks, packaged meals, and soft drinks. This connection sheds light on how insufficient sleep can alter appetite, reward pathways, and emotional regulation. 🌙 How Chronic Insomnia Affects the Brain and Appetite Chronic insomnia disrupts the balance of key hunger and satiety hormones. When sleep deprivation becomes long-term, the body produces more ghrelin (the hormone that increases hunger) and less leptin (which signals ful...

  🥗 Can a Healthy Diet Improve Depression in Just Three Weeks? Most of us know that eating healthy is good for our bodies — but what if it could also lift our mood in just a few weeks? That’s exactly what a group of researchers set out to discover, and their findings might change the way we think about food and mental health. 🌙 Food and Mood: A Growing Connection In recent years, scientists have started to explore what’s now called Nutritional Psychology  — the study of how our diet affects our mental well-being. The connection between the gut and brain is stronger than we once imagined, and what we eat plays a big role in how we feel emotionally. A 2019 study led by Dr. Heather Francis and her team put this idea to the test. They wanted to know whether making simple, healthy food choices for just three weeks could reduce symptoms of depression in young adults. 🌿 Why Study Young Adults? The college years can be exciting but also emotionally challenging. Stress, poor s...