ArticleNutrients2026
Understanding the Connection Between Diet, Food Systems and Mental Health: A Qualitative Exploration of a Caribbean Small Island Developing State.
Article in Nutrients, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesDiet is implicated in the high burden of mental health on society, and research examining associations between these two fields is growing. However, qualitative explorations are lacking, especially within culturally diverse settings. This study aims to explore the beliefs on the mechanisms of the relationship between diet, food systems, and mental health, and the lived experience of such, through a case study of one Caribbean Small Island Developing State, to inform culturally grounded public health strategies that integrate nutritional and psychological well-being.
methodsFifteen interviews with food system stakeholders and five focus groups with the general public were conducted. Transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach with a critical realist epistemological stance.
resultsFour major categories centered on beliefs of mechanistic effects of diet on mental health, as well as broader perspectives of the relationship between food systems, food experiences, and mental health. Participants believed that (1) unhealthy diets of processed and chemically treated foods contribute to poor mental health and that (2) food insecurity is a key threat to mental health, but they also believed that (3) consumption of locally produced foods and (4) residing in agricultural communities can be beneficial to mental health.
conclusionsParticipants recognize that diet influences mental health through physiological, social, and structural pathways, but this connection is threatened by rising dependence on imported, processed foods. Along with complementary quantitative research, the findings highlight the potential of expanding nutritional health literacy and clinical guidance and strengthening local food systems and traditional diets for mental well-being among Caribbean Small Island Developing States.
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