[Nutritional assessment of inpatients with schizophrenia]

No thorough examination of the actual nutritiornal composition of the diet of schizophrenia patients in Israel has been carried out. We performed a cross-sectional study evaluating the nutritional assessment and dietary intake of inpatients with schizophrenia treated with antipsychotic drugs, based on the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [MABAT].

Sixty inpatients completed a face-to-face interview. The questionnaire included details on health status, alcohol intake, exercise, smoking habits, eating and dieting habits and food supplementation use, knowledge and attitudes regarding nutrition, sources of nutrition knowledge and a 24-hour food recall to gather information on total caloric intake and total fat, protein, carbohydrate, cholesterol, and fiber content. The hospital's menu is according to the requirements of the Ministry of Health (MoH), based on Dietary Reference Intakes. Weight, height, waist and hip measurements were recorded and body mass index and waist/hip ratio were calculated. Data were subsequently compared to data for the general population collected in the MABAT survey.

Schizophrenia patients as a group did not eat more food when compared to MABAT subjects, but the relative percentages of calories derived from protein was higher and fiber intake was lower. The schizophrenia patients exercised less, but were not significantly more obese, thodgh there was more abdominal obesity.

The schizophrenic patients make poor dietary choices, which likely contribute to the adverse metabolic side effects of antipsychotic treatment, thereby promoting the risk of morbidity and mortality. Proactive programmes to improve dietary habits and related nutritional status are necessary.