This week's report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has revealed that more Australians are now prescribed medication for mental illness since records began in 2012, costing the nation $566 million in subsidised prescriptions.

With 4.4 million people prescribed mental health medication in the year to June 2020, Dietitians Australia has called on the government to help support the nation’s mental health through preventive measures such as dietary interventions.

“Current available evidence points strongly to the cost effectiveness of dietary interventions for prevention, treatment and management of mental illnesses,” said Chief Executive Officer of Dietitians Australia, Robert Hunt, in an official statement.

“Yet the government still doesn’t recognise the important role that food and nutrition has on mental health and wellbeing.”

Several recent studies have demonstrated the role that diet has to play in managing mental health disorders.

Research from Deakin University found ground-breaking evidence to demonstrate diet could be used to treat depression. A second study by the researchers also showed that it is a cost-effective way to help turn people's lives around.

Overall healthcare costs were $856 lower and average societal costs were $2591 lower for the diet group over the 12 weeks of the trial.

The researchers said the lower cost was partially due to fewer health professional visits, such as to doctors, dentists, and psychologists. The participants on the dietary intervention also reported less time lost from unpaid activities such as housework and childcare

The new AIHW report revealed 29.4 million antidepressants were prescribed in the year - an overwhelming representation of overall mental health related prescriptions at 72%.

Accredited Practising Dietitian, Dr Rachelle Opie explains how both mental illness and associated physical illnesses can be cost-effectively prevented or treated through dietary support.

“Evidence from randomised control trials around the world have proven dietary interventions significantly reduce symptoms of mental illness, including depression,” Dr Opie said.

“In one study, remission of depression was achieved for 32% of individuals who received a 12-week dietary intervention.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding how mental and physical illnesses are intrinsically linked to food and nutrition.”

Like many dietitians across the country, Rachelle is frustrated that access to dietetic services is not included in the Medicare Benefit Scheme (MBS) items relating to mental illness other than eating disorders.

“Introducing MBS items would improve equity of access to nutrition services for people with mental illnesses who are at-risk of poor diet and physical illness and often have the least capacity to pay for private services.”