What We Eat May Be Affecting How We Feel
February 20, 2026
Public Health PhD candidate Catherine Brown
The link between diet and mental health is becoming harder to ignore, according to new research emerging from the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Public Health PhD candidate Catherine Brown says what people eat may be influencing more than physical health outcomes such as obesity and chronic disease. Her work suggests that diet also has a measurable impact on emotional wellbeing across the Caribbean.
Brown has been examining the relationship between nutrition and mental health, an area that has received limited focused study in the region despite growing global concern about mental illness as a non communicable disease. In 2019, an estimated 13 per cent of the world’s population was living with a mental health disorder. Within the Caribbean, mental disorders account for roughly 18 per cent of all NCDs. The global financial burden of mental health conditions is projected to reach US$6 trillion by 2030, exceeding the projected costs of cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease combined.
Her doctoral research combines three approaches including a scoping review of existing Caribbean studies, qualitative fieldwork and a quantitative investigation that is currently underway.
The published review examined 35 regional studies conducted since 2000 that explored associations between diet and mental health. Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic accounted for the largest share of publications. Food security emerged as the most frequently assessed dietary factor, while depression was the mental health outcome most often examined. Stress and neurological conditions also featured in the research.
Brown found that although academic attention is increasing, only about one third of these studies specifically set out to examine the diet mental health relationship as their primary focus. She also noted that some tools used to measure mental health outcomes may not always reflect Caribbean cultural realities.
Brown has pointed to international evidence which suggests that individuals with diets high in ultra processed foods have a 22 per cent higher risk of depression. By contrast, persons who consume more plant based diets tend to have an 18 per cent lower risk of developing dementia and a 39 per cent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. She added that ketogenic diets have been associated with reduced severity of bipolar and schizoaffective disorders.
Locally produced foods were widely viewed as beneficial to mental wellbeing. Respondents described them as more nutritious, less exposed to chemicals and closely tied to family tradition and cultural identity. Many associated local produce with positive childhood memories such as helping relatives on farms or sharing meals at home.
