"The brain is the platform for the mind and therefore the platform for our mental health. While our understanding of how the brain works is less advanced than our understanding of the body’s other organs, much of the practical knowledge we do have of the brain has yet to be embraced and put to good use. This represents a spectrum of wasted opportunities to promote mental health and prevent mental ill-health in our society.
One of the clearest examples is the role of nutrition in relation to mental health. We know that the brain is made up in large part of essential fatty acids, water and other nutrients. We know that food aff ects how we feel, think and behave. In fact, we know that dietary interventions may hold the key to a number of the mental health challenges our society is facing. Yet we rarely invest in developing this knowledge, and a relatively tiny - but growing - number of professionals are putting it to effective use.
But there is a growing body of evidence, and a number of signifiant voices are championing the role of diet in the care and treatment of people with mental health problems. The potential of dietary interventions in treating depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, for example, are being increasingly recognised. We would be foolish to underestimate their importance. An integrated approach, recognising the interplay of biological, psychological, social and environmental factors is key to challenging the growing burden of mental ill-health in western nations. Diet is a cornerstone of this integrated approach. The time is now right for nutrition to become a mainstream, everyday component of mental health care, and a regular factor in mental health promotion. But this won’t happen without the recognition and commitment of the major stakeholders outlined in this report.
The potential rewards, in economic terms, and in terms of alleviating human suffering, are enormous."
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