Dietary patterns, the combinations of foods and beverages habitually consumed, have emerged as powerful predictors of physical health outcomes, and psychological and cognitive well-being. Beyond the reductionist approach of analyzing isolated nutrients, examining whole dietary patterns provides a more ecologically valid understanding of how diet influences brain function, mood regulation, and mental performance.
Recent research has linked Western-style dietary patterns, characterized by high intake of ultra-processed foods, sugars, and saturated fats, with increased risks of depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. In contrast, healthier patterns such as the Mediterranean, DASH, or plant-forward diets are associated with reduced stress levels, improved academic performance, and enhanced emotional regulation. Food insecurity often results in the adoption of low-quality dietary patterns characterized by energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, which may exacerbate stress and undermine cognitive and emotional well-being. Yet, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the mechanisms driving these associations, especially among vulnerable or transitional populations such as adolescents, university students, and young adults navigating dietary autonomy and high stress environments.
This Research Topic seeks to deepen our understanding of how habitual dietary patterns influence neurobehavioral health. We aim to bring together interdisciplinary scholarship that investigates the biological, psychological, and social pathways linking diet to cognitive and emotional functioning.
We welcome submissions that address questions such as: • How do specific dietary patterns correlate with perceived stress, emotional regulation, or executive functioning? • Are certain diets protective against neurobehavioral disorders or cognitive impairment? • How do psychosocial stressors and food environments interact with dietary patterns to influence brain health? • What roles do gut microbiota, inflammation, and metabolic markers play in mediating diet-brain relationships? •How can dietary interventions be designed to support cognitive and emotional well-being in real-world settings?
We invite original research articles, systematic reviews, scoping reviews, meta-analyses, theoretical perspectives, and intervention studies. Diverse methodological approaches, including epidemiological, experimental, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies, are encouraged. Studies focusing on underrepresented populations, cross-cultural comparisons, and youth or student samples are especially welcome.
By synthesizing findings across nutrition science, public health, psychology, and neuroscience, this Research Topic aims to generate novel insights and inform evidence-based strategies to optimize diet-related mental and cognitive health.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Case Report
Clinical Trial
Conceptual Analysis
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
