Revolutionizing Nutrition Research through Citizen Science: A Pioneering Approach

Patrick Holford is a renowned author, researcher, and spokesperson on nutrition and mental health. As the founder and CEO of the UK charity Food for the Brain, he is dedicated to improving public brain health through better nutrition. Since the 1970s, Holford has been advocating for a high-fat, essential vitamin and mineral diet as a solution to declining IQ scores across the globe.

According to Holford, mental health problems have been identified as the most expensive and urgent health issue in three government reports since 2010. Depression, autism, ADHD, dementia, and a decrease in IQ scores per generation are all on the rise. He also highlights the alarming increase in children’s mental health issues and the high percentage of women on antidepressants in some parts of the UK.

Food for the Brain uses at-home blood spot tests and digital cognitive health questionnaires to analyze participants’ nutrition and cognition status. The charity provides nutrition advice based on these results and aims to build a massive database to support its cause. Through these efforts, it hopes to catalyze a shift in perceptions around mental and cognitive health. To learn more about Food for the Brain’s work, listen to Nikki Hancocks’ podcast with NutraIngredients Europe Editor for further details.