IMPACT and Barwon Health MHDAS testing diet and exercise to treat COVID-19 related depression
A new collaboration between Barwon Health and Deakin University researchers is testing the powerful potential of food and physical activity to restore mental well-being among people feeling distressed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Geelong based trial, by the Barwon Health Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services (MHDAS) and the Heart and Mind Research Group at the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), will deliver an eight-week, group-based, ‘CALM’ telehealth program, designed to reduce the mental health symptoms in adults with elevated psychological distress.
The trial, funded through a Medical Research Future Fund COVID-19 Mental Health Research grant, will directly evaluate the health impacts and the cost-effectiveness of the CALM program in comparison with established psychotherapy in patients presenting to Barwon Health via the Emergency Department or MHDAS.
IMPACT Heart and Mind Research Director Associate Professor Adrienne O'Neil said the 'CALM' program was based on well-established evidence for the use of diet and exercise as a treatment for mental health conditions.
"Lifestyle targets are the cornerstone for prevention and management of diabetes and heart disease, but not currently for mental disorders," Associate Professor O'Neil said.
"There is good evidence diet and exercise can complement standard care, but we don't know if they are as good as standard psychological care.
"This is the first study to test this approach directly with psychotherapy in a real-world mental health setting. This evidence is critical if we are to see lifestyle-based care become an embedded part of mental health care in the future. We hope this will provide future treatment options for people with mental health concerns."
Patients will be encouraged to continue taking any prescribed medication throughout the study.
In addition to Deakin University and Barwon Health, collaborative partners in the study include Monash University, the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of New South Wales.