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Exploring the subjective role of diet for people living with severe mental illness: insights from a biopsychosocial perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2025

A. S. Mueller-Stierlin ,
R. Hiltensperger ,
S. Mörkl  and
S. Teasdale
A. S. Mueller-Stierlin*
Affiliation:
Institute for Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
R. Hiltensperger
Affiliation:
Institute for Epidemiology and Medical Biometry, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
S. Mörkl
Affiliation:
Klinische Abteilung für medizinische Psychologie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Graz, Graz, Austria
S. Teasdale
Affiliation:
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

People living with severe mental illness (SMI) face a life expectancy reduction of 10 to 20 years, often due to physical comorbidities. In addition to medication side effects, unhealthy lifestyle choices may contribute to this disparity.

Objectives

Understanding the experiences and views of people living with SMI regarding diet is essential in addressing these challenges.

Methods

To explore the role of nutrition and its determinants within a biopsychosocial framework, 28 semi-structured interviews were conducted with service users living in Germany, Austria, and Australia. A generic thematic analysis was applied to uncover key themes around implications of dietary behavior and its determinants.

Results

Both positive and negative effects of diet were reported. A prominent theme was the mental strain related to body weight, which contributed to feelings of guilt and experiences of stigma. Numerous biological, psychological, and social factors were identified as influencing dietary choices and behaviors. Many participants expressed a desire for greater support in achieving dietary balance and breaking the vicious cycle between diet and mental health.

Conclusions

From the viewpoint of people living with SMI, dietary interventions should be more integrated into mental health care. Psychosocial aspects, such as the emotional impact of eating, are as important as biological factors like nutrient intake, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to addressing diet in mental health care.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Information

Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 68 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 33rd European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2025 , pp. S272
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
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