Key role of nutrition in mental health

Over the past century, psychiatrists have neglected the importance of diet in the management of mental illness. This is especially the case in relation to mood disorders. There is now overwhelming evidence to support the view that a Mediterranean diet can play a role in the management of mood disorders. This is not in any way denying the importance of pharmacological and psychosocial strategies in the management of these disorders. Components of the Mediterranean diet not only impact brain function but also gut microbes, which are increasingly recognised as playing a role in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Nutrition should be a component in the curriculum of psychiatrists in training.