Policy Actions Required to Improve Nutrition for Brain Health

Abstract

Brain health is a pressing global concern. Poor diet quality is a recognized major environmental risk factor for brain disorders and one of the few that is modifiable. There is substantial evidence that nutrition impacts brain development and brain health across the life course. So why then is the full potential of nutrition not utilized to improve brain function? This commentary, which is based on discussions of the European Brain Research Area BRAINFOOD cluster, aims to highlight the most urgent research priorities concerning the evidence base in the area of nutrition and brain health and identifies 3 major issues that need to be addressed: (1) increase causal and mechanistic evidence on the link between nutrition and brain health, (2) produce effective messages/education concerning the role of food for brain health, and (3) provide funding to support collaborative working across diverse stakeholders.