Psychosocial Impairment and Micronutrient Deficiencies in Indian Adolescents: A Pilot Study

Adolescent mental health disorders represent a growing concern in India, with potential links to nutritional factors remaining underexplored.

This pilot study aimed to investigate the association between micronutrient deficiencies (vitamin B12, ferritin, folate, vitamin D, and calcium) and psychosocial impairment (defined as Youth Pediatric Symptom Checklist (Y-PSC) score ≥30) among Indian adolescents attending a tertiary care hospital in Delhi.

A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted over six months at a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. A total of 96 adolescents aged 11-18 years were enrolled through consecutive sampling. Psychosocial functioning was assessed using the Y-PSC, with scores ≥30 indicating impairment. Venous blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin, serum ferritin, vitamin B12, folic acid, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and total calcium levels.

Psychosocial impairment was found in 15.6% (15/96) of participants. Adolescents with psychosocial impairment (n=15) had significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 levels (191.86±63.00 pg/mL) compared to those without impairment (291.09±207.02 pg/mL), with P=0.039 for vitamin B12. Median serum ferritin levels were significantly lower in the impaired group (28.50 ng/mL, IQR: 21.00-42.00) compared to the non-impaired group (45.00 ng/mL, IQR: 24.00-78.00; Mann-Whitney U test, P=0.041). Vitamin B12 deficiency was present in 80% (12/15) of adolescents with psychosocial impairment versus 23.4% (19/81) in those without impairment (P<0.001). In unadjusted analyses, both vitamin B12 deficiency (OR=13.11; 95% CI: 3.35-51.28; P<0.001) and lower ferritin levels were significantly associated with psychosocial impairment. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified vitamin B12 as significantly associated with psychosocial impairment (OR=0.985; 95% CI: 0.972-0.997; P=0.017), while the association with ferritin did not reach statistical significance in the adjusted model (OR=0.976; 95% CI: 0.948-1.004; P=0.098).

Preliminary associations were observed between psychosocial impairment and deficiencies in vitamin B12 and ferritin among Indian adolescents in this pilot study. While causality cannot be established from this cross-sectional design, these findings suggest the potential value of incorporating micronutrient screening into routine psychosocial assessments and warrant further investigation in larger, adequately powered prospective studies.