Editorial: Unraveling the associations between diet and mental health

Mental disorders (1) remain among the leading causes of disability worldwide, with depressive and 30 anxiety disorders accounting for a substantial proportion years lived with disability across all age 31 groups. Over the past decade, the field of Nutritional Psychiatry has expanded rapidly, positioning 32 diet and nutrition as fundamental to the prevention and management of mental disorders (2,3). Across 33 the lifespan and diverse global populations, a large and growing body of evidence supports the 34 critical role of diet in the prevalence, management and risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders 35 (4,5). Diet is a ubiquitous exposure for the entire population, and diet quality is well-established as a 36 modifiable factor for mental health at all ages (6). Despite notable advances in prevention and 37 treatment, their prevalence has continued to rise over recent decades (7). This persistent increase 38 highlights the need to identify modifiable determinants that can be addressed through both 39 population-based and clinical strategies.