“It’s about What You’ve Assigned to the Salad”: Focus Group Discussions on the Relationship between Food and Mood

Megan F. Lee (), Joanne F. Bradbury, Jacqui Yoxall and Sally Sargeant
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Megan F. Lee: Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD 4217, Australia
Joanne F. Bradbury: Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, QLD 4225, Australia
Jacqui Yoxall: Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
Sally Sargeant: Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, QLD 4225, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Current observational and interventional studies in nutritional psychiatry suggest that healthy dietary patterns rich in fresh whole foods could protect against depressive symptoms, and that unhealthy dietary patterns high in ultra-processed and refined foods could contribute to depressive symptoms. However, no studies have explored detailed subjective accounts behind the food and mood relationship. This study aimed to uncover unknown factors in the human experience with food and mood. Using a phenomenological framework, this focus group study applied thematic template analysis to accounts of over 50 Australians aged between 18 and 72. Three themes were identified from the transcript of the focus groups: (i) reactive and proactive relationships with food, (ii) acknowledgement of individual diversity relating to eating and mental health, and (iii) improving mood by removing food restriction and eating intuitively. The data highlights the complexity of the relationship between food and mood that extends beyond biological mechanisms which could be used to extend current epidemiological and intervention studies in the field of dietary patterns and depression.

Keywords: depression; mental health; psychological wellbeing; qualitative research; focus group; thematic template analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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