¹Wahrendorff Klinikum, Research & Development, Sehnde, Germany

Background: Studies and the S3 practice guidelines in psychiatry and psychotherapy show that health-promoting measures are highly relevant in the treatment of mental illness. Current psychiatric care research still shows ambivalent findings regarding the effects of specific diets on psychopathogenic symptoms. In particular, the quality of nutrition and different effects in a psychosomatic context are the focus of studies on different dietary habits. Research results outside of biomedical markers are subject to limitations with regard to a psychotherapeutic perspective on nutrition and its influence on mental health. The influence of mindfulness-based interventions in the context of third-wave psychotherapy on the improvement of psychopathogenic symptoms has been comprehensively documented. Mindfulness-related aspects also appear to be significant in the context of nutrition. This intervention study addresses this research gap by examining the influence of mindfulness-centered nutrition therapy on the improvement of mindful eating behavior, the effects of psychopathogenic symptom severity, and structure-promoting nutritional competencies, thus taking an alternative, scientific perspective on nutrition and mental health.

Aims & Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the influence of mindfulness-based nutritional therapy as an effective complementary therapy in psychiatric treatment. Relevant results are presented.

Method: Following a newly developed, mindfulness-focused nutritional therapy consisting of theoretical and practical units, patients in the intervention group at a psychiatric-psychosomatic specialist hospital completed a four-week therapy unit consisting of several modules. In a measurement taken at three different points in time, a battery of questionnaires was used to examine the influences and modifications of mindful eating and to assess mindful eating and possible effects on overall psychological stress.

Results: Participants in the intervention group showed a statistically significant increase in mindful eating behavior (Mt1 = 91.42 (19.23)); Mt2 = 104.45 (18.11), p = .000, d = .78) and intuitive eating behavior (Mt1 = 3.03 (0.59)); Mt2 = 3.25 (0.64), p = .002, d = .60) as well as a statistically significant decrease in depressive symptom severity (Mt1 = 2.48 (0.81)); Mt2 = 1.62 (0.99), p = .014, d = .88) in the longitudinal study. An exploratory regression analysis showed a statistically significant influence of mindful eating on the decrease in (depressive) symptom severity (β = -.01, t = -2.30, p = .025; β = -.02, t = -3.13, p = .003). Mindful and intuitive eating behaviors can explain 17% of the variance in depressive symptoms (R² = 0.17, F(2) = 6.66, p = .002).

Discussion & Conclusions: In accordance with the existing research gap, initial conclusions are to be drawn about the possible influence of a mindfulness-based nutritional intervention on improving mindfulness-based nutritional skills and reducing overall symptom severity. The inferential statistical findings of the study point to a positive influence of mindfulness-based nutritional therapy measures in the treatment of mental illness, thus opening up a new, hitherto little-studied field in psychiatric care.