Food and Behaviour Research

Donate Log In

ADHD, Autism and the SEND Support Crisis: Rethinking the Role of Food and Nutrition with Dr Rachel Gow - BOOK HERE

News

Latest News List

Search News...


Mediterranean diet Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

Global Review Finds Mediterranean Diet May Play Key Role In Managing ADHD

It’s the superhero of the nutrition world, and now a scientific review has shown the potential power of the Mediterranean diet to help manage the symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.


rad-cyrus-vMB_Zry1ix4-unsplash

The ‘Mind’ diet is good for cognitive health – here’s what foods you should put on your plate

There’s long been evidence that what we eat can affect our risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline as we age. But can any one diet actually keep the brain strong and lower dementia risk? Evidence suggests the so-called “Mind diet” might.


omurden-cengiz-WI-x1wo_Jm4-unsplash

Study shows 60% of pregnant women have signs of iodine deficiency

"Our findings are particularly concerning as most women in the study were considered healthy and low risk and two thirds reported taking pregnancy supplements containing iodine. This suggests that additional public health measures may need to be addressed."


sources of lipids (Microsoft Copilot generated)

How fats fuel brain signalling - new mechanism discovered

While glucose, or sugar, is a well-known fuel for the brain, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have demonstrated that electrical activity in synapses—the junctions between neurons where communication occurs—can lead to the use of lipid or fat droplets as an energy source.


young-kane-2zuFRUruyEI-unsplash

Gut microbiota play pivotal role in disordered eating tied to repeated dieting, researchers find

For the first time, the gut microbiota has been shown to play a pivotal role in the risk of disordered eating behavior stemming from yo-yo dieting. Researchers conducted a preclinical study showing that repeated dieting leads to binge-eating behavior, which can be passed on directly by the microbiota.


sj-YDvfndOs4IQ-unsplash

Can sweets be addictive? First validated tool aims to measure the behavior

Why is it so hard to stop at just one cookie? For many people, sweet foods like chocolate, pastries, and candy aren't just a treat—they're a source of craving, guilt and emotional struggle. A newly published pilot study introduces the FitMIND Foundation Sweets Addiction Scale (FFSAS)—the first validated tool developed specifically to measure addiction-like behaviors related to sweets.


neil-moon-D4xruC0R4XU-unsplash

Can a Japanese diet help with depression? Large study says yes

A major study finds that workers who stick to traditional or modernized Japanese diets report fewer symptoms of depression, highlighting the mental health power of culturally tailored nutrition.


PTSD - Credit Unsplash CC0 public domain

Discovery of lipid-based pathway for memory formation sheds light on potential PTSD treatments

A new lipid-based pathway essential for memory formation has been discovered by University of Queensland researchers—a breakthrough that could lead to treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


leeann-cline-ClqFQz8RNKA-unsplash

Sleep loss rewires the brain for cravings and weight gain – a neurologist explains the science behind the cycle

You stayed up too late scrolling through your phone, answering emails or watching just one more episode. The next morning, you feel groggy and irritable. That sugary pastry or greasy breakfast sandwich suddenly looks more appealing than your usual yogurt and berries. By the afternoon, chips or candy from the break room call your name. This isn’t just about willpower. Your brain, short on rest, is nudging you toward quick, high-calorie fixes.


p0bzhqz5

The Food Programme - Professor Michael Crawford: A Life through Food

In this episode of 'A Life Through Food', Sheila Dillon meets one of the most provocative scientific minds of the last half-century: Professor Michael Crawford. Now in his 90s, Crawford’s pioneering research into the brain and nutrition has reshaped how we understand the essential role of food—especially Omega-3 fatty acids—in human development and health.


Sugar photodune-4301009-sugar-on-a-blue-background-xs

Major sugar substitute found to impair brain blood vessel cell function, posing potential stroke risk

Findings suggest that erythritol increases oxidative stress, disrupts nitric oxide signaling, raises vasoconstrictive peptide production, and diminishes clot-dissolving capacity in human brain microvascular endothelial cells.


slaapwijsheid-nl-NrJeR0Fbrws-unsplash

Eating more fruits and veggies could help you sleep better

From counting sheep to white noise and weighted blankets, people have tried innumerable ways to get a good night's sleep. Sleep disruptions can have far-reaching negative consequences, impacting cardiovascular and metabolic health, memory, learning, productivity, mood regulation, interpersonal relationships and more.


adhy-savala-zbpgmGe27p8-unsplash

Study finds high hospital costs in Europe due to physical comorbidities of mental disorders

These costs are not caused by psychiatric care itself, but by physical illnesses that occur at above-average rates in people with mental illness and often require inpatient or emergency treatment. Particularly common are injuries, for example, as a result of falls, substance use or suicide attempts, as well as diseases of the digestive tract such as liver disease or chronic inflammation.


Vitamin D3 (Microsoft Copilot generated)

Vitamin D supplements may slow cellular aging

A new study suggests that Vitamin D supplements may help preserve telomeresexternal link—the DNA caps at the ends of chromosomes that maintain genetic stability and protect against cell death. If the findings can be replicated, researchers say, they could point to a “promising strategy” for countering biological aging.


pexels-gustavo-fring-6284967

Before the bump: Can pre-pregnancy planning affect child development?

Enhancing physical and psychological health months or even weeks before conception may have powerful positive effects on offspring.


ChatGPT burger and cigarette

Sugary drinks, processed foods, alcohol and tobacco are big killers: Why the G20 should add its weight to health taxes

By 2030, non-communicable diseases will account for 75% of all deaths annually. Eight percent of these will be in the global south. Most of these diseases are what we call silent killers: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as certain types of cancer at increasingly younger ages.


camylla-battani-pHircQqnwSE-unsplash

How vitamin B12 deficiency may disrupt pregnant women’s bodies

Despite living in an age of dietary abundance, vitamin B12 deficiency is on the rise. One major culprit? Our growing reliance on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – those convenient, calorie-dense and nutrient-poor products that dominate supermarket shelves. While they might fill us up, they’re fuelling a global epidemic of “hidden hunger”.


jack-lee-IH65r4HEQWQ-unsplash

It’s time to stop the great food heist powered by big business. That means taxation, regulation and healthy school meals

The global food system has been captured by a few rapacious companies that profit from public ill-health. We need a radical overhaul


mounish-raja-0WxoR8uk970-unsplash

Markers in blood and urine may reveal how much ultra-processed food we are eating

Molecules in blood and urine may reveal how much energy a person consumes from ultra-processed foods, a key step to understanding the impact of the products that make up nearly 60% of the American diet, a new study finds.


VITAMIN B12 on Warm Background (CHATGPT)

Vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnancy could pose metabolic health risk, research suggests

A major contributing factor to vitamin B12 deficiency is an increasing dependence on ultra-processed foods, researchers at Nottingham Trent University and the University of Warwick argue