There is limited evidence that dietary changes might affect schizophrenia. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) is a metric used to assess the inflammatory potential of a dietary pattern. A higher DII score is associated with a more inflammatory diet. A small observational study found that people with schizophrenia are more likely to follow a dietary pattern with a high DII score.[1] Some trials also found that a gluten-free diet reduced symptoms of schizophrenia. However, additional trials failed to find the same result.[2]
How could diet affect schizophrenia?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
There is limited evidence that dietary changes may influence schizophrenia; some studies indicate an association between a high Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score and dietary patterns in people with schizophrenia. Additionally, although some trials reported symptom reduction with a gluten-free diet, other trials did not find the same results.