Food, Move, Mood: complex systems for health- Hobart Alumni Event

The evolving modern world has brought about changes that impact the way we live, interact and how we experience health. Global lifestyle changes have had a major impact upon health. Unhealthful diet and physical inactivity are major contributors to lifestyle driven diseases.

We have also now seen consistent and compelling evidence that what we eat and how active we are can impact upon mood and mental health. Food and physical activity for mental health is particularly appealing – common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety impose a large and significant burden upon individuals and families throughout Australia and we arguably have access to lifestyle behavioural opportunities every day. Taken in the context of other known risk and protective factors for poorer mood and emotional outcomes, the possibilities in leveraging food and physical activity is an exciting and promising prospect.

This presentation will provide an overview of the evidence for diet and physical activity for mental health. There will be a discussion on a recent trial, the SMILES trial, emerging from the Deakin University Food and Mood Centre that showed the effectiveness of a dietary intervention for depression. Finally, there will be an introduction of a novel perspective for future investigations of health through a systems lens.

Dr Erin Hoare is an Australian Rotary Health Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Food and Mood Centre, Deakin University, investigating the ways in which food and diet interacts with brain health and mood. Erin completed her Bachelor of Psychology with Deakin University in 2012 and went on to complete her PhD with GLOBE Obesity Prevention Centre at Deakin, graduating in 2016. Erin’s current work aims to examine the mental and emotional health outcomes among young people in a nutrition and physical activity systems based intervention currently underway throughout Victoria. In her spare time, Erin competes as a female footballer in the AFL Women’s league and is passionate about empowering young people through science and sport.