On April 24th 2024 experts from around the world are presenting at a conference to explore solutions for the escalating incidence of mental health problems, described as a ‘global brain health emergency’ by the European Federation of Neuroscience Societies.
In the last three years The Children’s Society report that the likelihood of a young person having a mental health issue has increased by 50 per cent. One in six children aged 5-16 are now likely to have a mental health problem.
Antidepressant prescriptions are close to 100 million in the last year representing a 70% increase in the past five years. Mental illness is now costing health services more than cancer and heart disease.
The world leading experts include:
- Professor Michael Crawford from Imperial College’s Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, who discovered the essentiality of omega-3 DHA for brain function;
- Professor Bill Harris, leading US omega-3 researcher;
- Sugar expert, Professor Robert Lustig;
- Neurologist Dr David Perlmutter;
- Neuroscientist Assistant Professor Tommy Wood from the University of Washington, expert in active lifestyle;
- Metabolic psychiatrist Dr Georgia Ede, whose specialty is low carb keto diets;
- Professor Julia Rucklidge on children’s mental health and nutrition;
- Dr Sabine Donnai, presenting on fixing a leaky blood brain barrier for dementia prevention; Harvard psychiatrist Uma Naidoo on the mood food connection;
- Dr Victoria Sampson on the oral and gut microbiome and brain connection.
The conference focuses both on the latest science and solutions, and gives practitioners practical advice from leading clinicians.
The conference is co-hosted by the charitable foundation, foodforthebrain.org with the Nutrition Collective and is chaired by the charity’s founder Patrick Holford.
“The growth in mental illness in children and adults is not sustainable. In some poorer areas one in two women are now on antidepressants. Close to a million in the UK have dementia. On the current trend, by 2080, one in three children will have severe neurodevelopment impairment with major functional and communication deficits. These children are our future. It is literally our humanity that is at stake. We need a united and progressive understanding of what’s driving this brain drain to enable the right solutions. We need governments to wake up to the reality of this cerebral tsunami otherwise we are heading for an idiocracy. The global Upgrade Your Brain conference brings all the pieces together with an unparalleled team of experts. All health care practitioners, and anyone in mental health and education, needs to be there.” says Holford.
To register go to foodforthebrain.org/uybconference. This will be followed by a nationwide educational ‘upgrade your brain’ campaign. See foodforthebrain.org/upgrade-your-brain
- The Nutrition Collective: The ground-breaking educational platform for Healthcare Professionals. The Nutrition Collective is a leading educational community for Healthcare Professionals bringing a wealth of knowledge and the latest research on a broad range of healthcare and wellbeing topics,including brain and mental health. We offer cutting-edge education to professionals in the form of webinars, seminars, in-person and virtual conferences and events, led by world class experts. Healing chronic disease with insights from the leaders in nutrition.
- See https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/good-childhood for their report
- The European Society of Neuroscientists represent 22,000 neuroscientists across 31 countries
- org is the leading UK charity focusing on the prevention of mental illness.
- For details on the nationwide educational ‘upgrade your brain’ campaign visit https://foodforthebrain.org/upgrade-your-brain/