Nutrition, cognition and emotion: neuropsychological foundations and tools for nutritionists

Abstract

There are several studies on the relationship between nutrition and cognition or nutrition and emotion. But the science of nutrition transcends nourishment and eating. It involves interrelated factors that need to be verified and used to better understand the individual and the populations served by the nutritionist and the proposition of ways to solve and/or improve these demands. To this end, there are tools that enhance dietary and nutritional assessment and provide a better understanding of dietary habit formation. This theoretical essay on neuropsychological instruments used for assessment of adults and elderly contributes to nutritional assessment, specifying cognitive functions and their relationships with nutritional and emotional factors of the individual. A survey of neuropsychological assessment instruments or those with cognitive and emotional constructs was performed. Cognitive evaluation and the relationship of emotion with food were verified. It is thought that this is a basic guide for the nutritionist to increase his assessment beyond the traditional.