Food for thought

Eating healthier might be good for both us and the planet.

Dietary choices – the types and amounts of foods that individuals consume – are not only a major determinant of human health, but also of environmental sustainability. Agricultural food production emits approximately 30 per cent of global greenhouse gasses, occupies about 40 per cent of Earth’s land, and causes nutrient pollution that affects ecosystems and water quality. Global diets have been shifting toward greater consumption of highly processed foods associated with increased disease risk as well as higher environmental impacts. One pioneering Kiwi steering the ship towards a greater consumption of healthier foods that would improve environmental sustainability and mental health is Professor of Clinical Psychology Julia Rucklidge. Professor Rucklidge has over 34,450 participants

enrolled in her free Massive Open Online Courses at the University of Canterbury on Mental Health and Nutrition. The online course encourages a positive shift in how people view good nutrition and micronutrients as a treatment to mental health. Professor Rucklidge has developed this course based on her world-leading research into the links between nutrition and mental wellbeing. “We need to reverse our dietary habits and return to the food of our grandmothers or even great-grandmothers,” she says. Her interest in nutrition and mental health grew out of her own research showing poor outcomes for children with psychiatric illness despite conventional treatments. The Mental Health and Nutrition Research Group has been running clinical trials investigating the role of broad-spectrum micronutrients in the expression and treatment of issues such as ADHD, mood disorders and anxiety. She suggests families can shift away from ultra-processed foods and substitute low-cost whole foods, along with eating more fruit and vegetables, healthy fats, fish, nuts and legumes.