THE POWERFUL LINK BETWEEN MOOD AND NUTRITION

We talk a lot about supporting children’s mental health through relationships, routines and emotional skills, and rightly so. What we are increasingly learning, however, is that what we eat also plays a powerful role in how we feel, think and cope.

Over the past decade, world‑leading Australian research from Deakin University’s Food & Mood Centre has shown that good nutrition is not just important for physical health, it is one of the most effective and accessible tools we have to support mood, wellbeing and resilience across all ages.  Food and Mood Centre

Why Nutrition Matters So Much at This Age

Most mental health conditions do not begin in adulthood. Three‑quarters of all mental health conditions begin before the age of 24, and around half begin before the age of 14. 1.1 Why this Strategy is so important | National Mental Health Commission

This clearly is at a time when the brain is undergoing rapid growth and development. This period is therefore a crucial window where environmental factors, including sleep, stress, relationships and diet, have a lasting impact on brain structure and emotional regulation.

This means that focusing on nutrition during these years is not about preventing problems “someday in the future.” It is about supporting mental health right now, during the most influential stage of development. Establishing good food habits early helps build strong foundations for emotional wellbeing, learning, concentration and long‑term mental health.

How Food Affects Mood

Our brains are highly active organs that rely on a steady supply of nutrients. Research in the field of nutritional psychiatry shows that diet quality influences mood through several pathways including inflammation, the immune system and the gut–brain connection. Diet interventions for depression: Review and recommendations for practice

Diets high in vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, healthy fats and lean protein are consistently linked with better mental health and lower rates of depression and anxiety compared with highly processed, high‑sugar diets. Association Between Dietary Habits and Depression: A Systematic Review – PMC

Importantly, this relationship works both ways: improving diet quality can actively improve mood, even for people already experiencing low mood or depression.

Strong Evidence: Food as a Mood Treatment

One of the most exciting pieces of research in this area is the SMILES Trial, led by Professor Felice Jacka at the Food & Mood Centre. This world‑first randomised controlled trial showed that adults with depression who improved their diet experienced significantly greater mood improvement than those who received social support alone. The SMILEs Trial | Food and Mood Centre

Even more encouraging, many participants achieved full remission of depressive symptoms and the healthier diet actually cost less than their previous eating habits. This research sends an empowering message: small, practical changes to food choices can make a real difference to mental wellbeing. Eat your way to better mental health, says new Australian study | YourLifeChoices

Learning More: Free, Accessible Courses

The Food & Mood Centre has made this research accessible to the wider community through their free online course, Food and Mood: Improving Mental Health Through Diet and Nutrition, available via FutureLearn.

The course is open to parents, educators and students alike, and translates complex science into clear, practical strategies for everyday life. It is a wonderful way to build shared understanding across a school community. Resources | Food and Mood Centre

Easy Changes That Make a Difference

The good news is that supporting mood through nutrition does not require perfection. Small, consistent changes can have meaningful effects. Here are some realistic ideas that schools and families can introduce:

Increase Plant Variety

Aim to include a wide range of colourful vegetables, fruit and legumes across the week. Variety feeds the gut microbiome, which plays a key role in mood regulation. Diet interventions for depression: Review and recommendations for practice

 Upgrade, Don’t Overhaul

Simple swaps, wholegrain bread instead of white, yoghurt with fruit instead of packaged snacks, water instead of sugary drinks, are powerful starting points. Association Between Dietary Habits and Depression: A Systematic Review – PMC

Support the Brain with Healthy Fats

Foods like olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish provide fats essential for brain health and emotional regulation. Diet interventions for depression: Review and recommendations for practice

Prioritise Regular Meals

Skipping meals can affect concentration, energy and mood. Encouraging regular breakfast and balanced snacks helps stabilise blood sugar and emotions.

Make Food Social and Positive

Shared meals, cooking together and positive conversations about food support both emotional wellbeing and healthy habits, especially for children.

A Simple, Hopeful Message

Nutrition is not a replacement for psychological care but it is a powerful partner. The evidence is clear: when we nourish the body well, we also support the mind.

By making nutrition visible, positive and achievable within our school community, we help give children and families tools that support wellbeing now, and for life.

For those interested, I strongly recommend exploring the Food & Mood Centre’s free resources and online course. It is one of the most practical, hopeful and evidence‑based wellbeing tools available to us today.

Kylie Wolstencroft
Director of Wellbeing – Penquite