ArticleNature communications2022
Systematic evidence and gap map of research linking food security and nutrition to mental health.
Article in Nature communications, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Meta-analysis of 633,317 individuals shows associations between healthy diets and depression, anxiety and stress in 23 low- and middle-income countries.BMC global and public health · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Nutrition-sensitive agriculture programme impacts women's mental health via food security in rural Bangladesh.BMJ global health · 2026Trial
- Hunger as an uncontroversial predictor of poor adolescent mental health: evidence from a multiverse analysis of 410,213 adolescents across 79 countries.Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines · 2026Article
- Associations Between Aspects of Diet and Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors in Children Aged 4 Years.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Article
- Interlinked crises: the roles of food literacy, quality of life, and mental well-being in predicting adult food insecurity.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2026Article
- Diversity and selected functional traits of microbiota associated with traditional dried plant foods from South African informal markets.FEMS microbes · 2026Article
- Diet and Mental Health Relationships in Caribbean Populations: A Scoping Review and Evidence Gap Map.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Prevalence and Associated Factors of Chronic Diseases Among Adults in Somaliland: A Multilevel Analysis From the 2020 SLHDS.Chronic diseases and translational medicine · 2025Article
- The Impact of Infrastructure on Low-Income Consumers' Nutritious Diet, Women's Economic Empowerment, and Gender Equality in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Evidence and Gap Map.Campbell systematic reviews · 2025Article
- Regional differences, distributional dynamics and convergence of multidimensional food security levels in China.PloS one · 2024Article
- Article
- Examining the disparities: A cross-sectional study of socio-economic factors and food insecurity in Togo.PloS one · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
16 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Connections between food security and nutrition (FSN) and mental health have been analytically investigated, but conclusions are difficult to draw given the breadth of literature. Furthermore, there is little guidance for continued research. We searched three databases for analytical studies linking FSN to mental health. Out of 30,896 records, we characterized and mapped 1945 studies onto an interactive Evidence and Gap Map (EGM). In these studies, anthropometry (especially BMI) and diets were most linked to mental health (predominantly depression). There were fewer studies on infant and young child feeding, birth outcomes, and nutrient biomarkers related to anxiety, stress, and mental well-being. Two-thirds of studies hypothesized FSN measures as the exposure influencing mental health outcomes. Most studies were observational, followed by systematic reviews as the next largest category of study. One-third of studies were carried out in low- and middle-income countries. This map visualizes the extent and nature of analytical studies relating FSN to mental health and may be useful in guiding future research.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.