What people eat may be influencing more than their waistlines in the Caribbean; it may also be shaping their mental wellbeing.
Research by PhD candidate in Public Health, Catherine Brown, has found that diet and mental health in the region are closely connected biologically, socially, and culturally. Her work suggests that food security, local food production and everyday eating habits may all play a role in emotional wellbeing.
Brown presented her study, Understanding the Relationship between Diet and Mental Health in the Caribbean, at the 13th Annual Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate Symposium at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus in January 2026. Her investigation looks at a relatively unexplored area in the region, the relationship between nutrition and mental health – which are often treated as separate fields of enquiry.
Mental health has been classified as a non-communicable disease (NCD) by the World Health Organization. In 2019, 13 per cent of the world’s population was living with a mental health disorder, while mental disorders accounted for 18 per cent of all NCDs in the Caribbean.
It is projected that the global financial burden of mental health conditions will reach US $6 trillion by 2030, which exceeds the projected costs of cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease combined.
Brown has structured her doctoral work around three components: a scoping review, qualitative fieldwork and an ongoing quantitative investigation.
Her published scoping review identified 35 studies undertaken since 2000 that explored associations between diet and mental health in the Caribbean. The findings indicate a gradual rise in scholarly output, from roughly one study annually in the mid-2000s to about five per year in recent times.
Most relied on statistical analysis and appeared in public health or medical journals.
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 prominently.
Brown determined that although academic attention is increasing, only a third of publications sought specifically to examine the diet-mental health relationship as their primary research aim, and research designs are frequently limited. She also observed that some measurement tools used to assess mental health may not fully align with Caribbean cultural contexts.
To deepen her understanding of the issue, Brown selected St. Lucia as her case study. She interviewed 15 individuals involved in different aspects of the food chain, including farmers, food processors, retailers and chefs. She also conducted five in-person focus groups with members of the public.
Participants drew clear links between heavily processed or chemically treated foods and psychological distress. They described how poor dietary habits contribute to chronic illness, which may then affect confidence, self-image and social interactions. Some pointed to inflammation and other physiological changes as possible direct pathways to mental health difficulties. At the same time, participants recognised that emotional strain can also shape eating behaviour.
Locally produced foods were widely regarded as beneficial to mental wellbeing. Respondents described them as more nutritious, less exposed to chemicals and closely connected to fond memory, tradition and cultural identity. Older adults were more inclined to list the medicinal qualities of local produce and traditional whole foods.
Concerns were also expressed about increasing dependence on imported and highly processed products, and low availability and affordability of healthy local options, which led to worry and anxiety. Rural communities were perceived to experience stronger mental wellbeing, attributed to closer social networks, engagement in the ‘meditative’ act of farming, and greater access to fresh produce.
As Brown observed: “Participants believed that diet did impact mental health and that food security and local food production and consumption can facilitate its benefits, which forces us to take a closer lens on Caribbean food systems-wide impacts.”
