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[Bodyweight in inpatients with schizophrenia]
Tilman Wetterling1, Sören Pest, Heidi Müssigbrodt
1Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie I, J.-W.-Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt/M. tilman.wetterling@vivantes.de
Psychiatrische Praxis
|July 10, 2004
Summary
Schizophrenic patients in their first episode have lower body weight than the general population. However, chronic schizophrenic patients frequently experience overweight and obesity, with causes needing further study.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Psychiatry
- Public health
Background:
- Overweight is a significant health concern in Germany.
- Psychiatric patients, particularly those with schizophrenia, are often overweight.
- Weight gain is common during treatment with antipsychotics, especially atypical ones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the body weight of schizophrenic patients.
- To compare the body-mass-index (BMI) of schizophrenic inpatients with the general German population.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of BMI data between two samples of schizophrenic inpatients and the general German population.
Main Results:
- First-episode schizophrenic patients had lower average BMIs than the general population, but showed higher weight gain in follow-up.
- Chronic schizophrenic patients generally had BMIs within the range of the general population.
- A higher proportion of obesity (BMI > 30) was observed in many age groups of chronic schizophrenic inpatients compared to the general population.
Conclusions:
- First-episode schizophrenics tend to be underweight compared to the general population.
- Chronic schizophrenic patients are frequently overweight or obese.
- The reasons for significant weight gain in schizophrenic patients require further investigation.