The FondaMental Foundation has just launched an application intended to help people suffering from depression and to contribute to the prevention of depressive disorders by improving their diet.
The Pre Marion Leboyergeneral director of the FondaMental Foundation and Remy Hottiegeneral manager of DietSensor, explains the principles to Medscape French edition.
“We have more and more observational data that shows a link between diet and the risk of developing depression,” explains the Pre Marion Leboyerpsychiatrist at Henri Mondor Hospital (AP-HP), director of an Inserm unit and general director of the FondaMental Foundation. “Based on these data, therapeutic trials were carried out and demonstrated that certain foods are able to prevent depression, or even help improve patient care.”
The Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, olive oil and nuts, is particularly recognized for its effectiveness in improving mental health. “By acting on the intestinal flora, this type of diet makes it possible to reduce inflammation, itself associated with mood disorders in 40% of cases and frequently the cause of resistance to treatments. But also to act on somatic pathologies often associated, such as metabolic syndrome,” she explains.
Daily tools for adopting the Mediterranean diet
To make it better known to the general public and to help them adopt healthy eating habits, the FondaMental Foundation, in partnership with Inicea Mental Health and Addictology, asked the company DietSensor to develop a mobile application.
“The most important thing is to inform the user and give them daily tools to promote the diet, while taking it step by step,” underlines Rémy Bonnasse, general manager and co-founder of DietSensor.
Users of the app, called Food4Mood, receive science-based advice and information on the links between depression and nutrition, developed in partnership with the Australian Food and Mood Center at Deakin University.
Recipe ideas and shopping list
They can use a toolkit to develop recipes consistent with the Mediterranean diet, with tailored recipe ideas and shopping lists.
“They can also benefit from simple dietary suggestions to complete a meal or adapt their shopping list. It’s as if they have the dietician over their shoulder to explain to them how to do it. This allows you to gradually change your eating habits,” explains Rémy Bonnasse.
The application adapts to the needs of each user, taking into account possible associated pathologies such as diabetes or hypertension. Users can assess their progress using the PHQ8 score, an international scale for measuring the severity of depression, and the MEDAS score to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet.
The Food4Mood application can be downloaded from the Apple store or the Play store (logo with a red apple).
It offers a free trial period of 7 days, then costs 13 euros per month, 25 euros for 3 months or 60 euros for a year.
“We wanted the application to be paid in order to engage the user. But this price remains low, compared to what regular consultations with a dietitian would cost,” estimates Rémy Bonnasse.
The FondaMental Foundation will encourage professionals from its networks and the Expert Centers that it coordinates to offer this application to their patients. At the same time, it is starting an acceptability study with around thirty patients, in partnership with the Vinatier – University Psychiatry Lyon Métropole Expert Centers for Resistant Depression and Bipolar Disorders.
Health professionals and care centers wishing to offer this application to their patients, obtain more information or get involved in the project, can contact the foundation at the following address: recherche@fondation-fondamental.org.
Links of interest of experts: Professor Marion Leboyer has no links of interest.
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