Professor Malcolm Peet

Professor Malcom Peet is a Consultant Psychiatrist with Doncaster and South Humber NHS Healthcare Trust, and Honorary Professor at the University of Sheffield and at Sheffield Hallam University.

From a background of research in psychopharmacology, Professor Peet has been studying the role of nutrition in mental health since 1990. He has pioneered research into the role of omega-3 fatty acids in both depression and schizophrenia - including controlled treatment trials - and remains at the forefront of international research in this field. He has also shown that schizophrenia is more severe in countries where the national diet is higher in sugar and saturated fats, while depression is more common in countries with lower intakes of omega-3 from fish and seafood. These findings could help to explain why depression is more common and schizophrenia more severe in developed countries than in the developing world.

Professor Peet continues to investigate the links he has found between diet and mental health, and to explore plausible mechanisms. More recently, his research has also focused on the practical applications of nutritional interventions within mental health services in the United Kingdom, and their implications for professional training. He has published and lectured extensively on the topic of nutrition and mental health, and is highly skilled at communicating the latest research and its implications to public and professional as well as academic audiences.

Main Interests