Food and exercise mind trial

VICTORIAN researchers are testing whether we can eat and exercise ourselves into good mental health.

A Deakin University study is recruiting adults who are experiencing distress at the moment – regardless if it’s for the first time or in those with established mental health problems – to test whether eight weeks of online diet and exercise coaching is as good as, or even better, than conventional talk-therapy for improving mental health.

Lead researcher and director of the Heart and Mind research group, Associate Professor Adrienne O’Neil, said there was growing evidence about the role nutrition and movement had on psychological health, and it was vital to look for new ways to relieve pressure on the already stretched mental health system.

“The role of diet on mental health is no different to what we know about how diet affects our heart health, or our risk of diabetes or stroke. It’s just been that over the last five to 10 years we’ve started to see that some of those same mechanisms apply to brain health, mood and cognition,” Professor O’Neil said.

“We know that Victorians are doing it tough right now.

“It’s really hard to get in to see a psychologist at the moment due to wait lists. Many of them have closed their books.

“There are many people who can’t afford to access one, particularly those living in more rural or regional areas.

“By improving one’s diet quality and finding ways of enjoying exercise, this might actually help complement existing mental health services in a way that can prevent new treatment strategies.”

A previous study by the same Deakin team found adults with clinical depression who worked with a dietitian for 12 weeks to improve their diet, reduced their depressive symptoms just by focusing on improving what they ate.

Professor O’Neil said that this latest CALM study, Curbing Anxiety and Depression using Lifestyle Medicine, would use these same evidence-based diet interventions.

It is being funded by a special Medical Research Future Fund project looking for fasttracked solutions to address the Covid-related mental health crisis.

“We’ve known for decades the benefits of psychotherapy, so now we’re wanting to test whether or not this type of lifestyle approach for managing mental health is as good as that,” she said.

Adults from across the state can take part.

Phone 5227 3026 or email calm@deakin.edu.au