Malnutrition Role to the Risk of Developing Schizophrenia A Literature Review

Abstract

Some evidence suggests that nutritional factors in-utero may contribute to the development of schizophrenia in offspring. To better understand the relationship between in-utero exposure to nutritional deficiency as a determinant of schizophrenia, a narrative review was conducted. Natural studies involving prenatal exposure to famines were identified and described. The relationship between malnutrition, low birth weight, and obstetric complications was evaluated as implicated in schizophrenia development. In addition to malnutrition, various micronutrients and the complementary biological mechanisms were reviewed including, iron, Vitamin D, and folate. Given the inherent link between poverty and malnutrition, associations between income and risk of schizophrenia were examined. The review concluded that prenatal malnutrition may be associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia. Given the relatively high prevalence of nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy, this work has the potential to offer substantial benefits for the intervention and prevention of schizophrenia in the population. More work and research are needed to directly observe malnutrition’s impact on schizophrenia, but such opportunities are limited due to ethical considerations. To address these limitations, future research could explore innovative methodologies to bridge the gap in understanding and provide insights into the complex interplay between prenatal malnutrition and schizophrenia.