Babies born during famine are at higher risk of schizophrenia

BBC News:

The Chinese famine of 1959-1961 increased the risk of schizophrenia in later life from 0.84% to 2.15%, Shanghai researchers calculated.

It is not clear whether it is lack of food in general or a lack of specific nutrients while in the womb is important.

The work appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

It supports the findings of previous study in Holland where schizophrenia risk was doubled among children conceived during war-related food shortages in 1944-1945.

In the China study, the team from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University compared the rates of schizophrenia among those born before, during and after the famine years in the Wuhu region, which currently has a population of 62 million.

During the famine, the birth rate for the area decreased by around 80%.

However, among the babies that were born, more went on to develop schizophrenia as adults than the babies born during non-famine years.

Schizophrenia risk increased from 0.84% in 1959 to 2.15% in 1960 and 1.81% in 1961.

Based on the trends found they believe the critical time of famine is during the first three months of pregnancy.

Since many immigrants to Europe and the United States come from countries where malnutrition is a common fact of life, this research suggests that host countries may experience higher levels of mental illness due to unrestricted immigration.

Starving linked to schizophrenia

Famine increases the risk of schizophrenia

Babies born during famine are at higher risk of schizophrenia

Prenatal Exposure to Famine Tied to Increased Schizophrenia Risk

Prenatal exposure to famine increases risk of schizophrenia