Welcome to NP 150 Part II! This final course in the NP 100 Series Certificate continues our exploration of mechanisms. In nutritional Psychology, a mechanism refers to the detailed series of events or processes at the molecular, cellular, or physiological level that underlie a specific biological function or response. These mechanisms can involve complex biochemical pathways, molecular interactions, and cellular processes that collectively contribute to the overall functioning of living organisms.

In this continuation of NP 150 Part I, we explore the psychological, behavioral, social, and environmental factors involved in the diet-mental health relationship (DMHR). You'll gain insight into how stress, immune function, emotional and cognitive patterns, social contexts, and environmental factors dynamically interact within the DMHR to influence our eating behaviors, psychological experience, and brain and mental health outcomes.

Our journey begins with psychoneuroimmunology, exploring the interplay between stress, the nervous system, immune responses, and the role of diet in shaping these processes and influencing psychological experiences. We'll examine stress as both a physiological and psychological response, emphasizing how early-life stress affects dietary choices and mental health and the two-way relationship between stress and eating behaviors.

We then gain insight into the psychological and behavioral mechanisms that shape our relationship with food, focusing on how emotions, cognition, and habits influence dietary choices and mental well-being. We focus on emotional eating, body image, cognitive distortions, mindfulness, and how habit formation, reward systems, and psychological dynamics like food noise and food addiction impact eating behaviors.

The final module examines the social and environmental factors influencing the relationship between diet, mental health, and resilience (DMHR), moving beyond individual mechanisms to focus on broader contexts. It examines the impact of socioeconomic factors, cultural influences, social support, food environments, and urbanization on dietary choices and mental health outcomes.