New research shows the importance of diet for mental health
New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia has found being confident in the kitchen is not only good for your taste buds: it’s also good for your mental health.
The study follows ECU’s successful partnership with The Good Foundation and Jamie’s Ministry of Food initiative, with a mobile food kitchen providing cooking classes in the community as well as at the University’s Perth and SW campuses, throughout 2016 to 2018.
In total, 657 participants undertook the seven-week healthy cooking course.
At the same time, ECU Institute for Nutrition Research academics measured the programme’s effect on participants’ cooking confidence and self-perceived mental health, as well as their overall satisfaction around cooking and diet-related behaviours.
Researchers found those who participated in the programme saw significant improvements in general health, mental health and subjective vitality immediately after the program which remained six months after completing the course, when compared to the study’s control group.
Improvements in cooking confidence, the ability to easily change eating habits and overcome lifestyle barriers to healthy eating were also reported.