Investigating Body Mass Index and Body Composition in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Case-Control Study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Metabolic Medicine
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Antipsychotic medications can lead to metabolic side effects, impacting body weight and muscle composition.
• Limited research exists on the specific body composition changes in individuals with schizophrenia.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for managing the overall health of schizophrenia patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare body mass index (BMI) and body composition between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls in Indonesia.
• To identify specific differences in body composition metrics associated with schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 195 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 195 matched healthy controls.
• Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) was utilized to measure various body composition parameters.
• Statistical analysis, including multiple regression, was performed to assess associations.

Main Results:

• Schizophrenia patients showed a higher prevalence of underweight and lower rates of overweight/obesity compared to controls.
• Significant associations were found between BMI and all measured body composition parameters.
• Schizophrenia diagnosis correlated with lower muscle mass, lower bone mass, higher basal metabolic rate, older metabolic age, and higher total body water.

Conclusions:

• Patients with schizophrenia face an elevated risk of diminished body composition quality.
• Interventions focused on enhancing physical activity levels in schizophrenia patients are recommended.
• Further research is warranted to explore effective strategies for improving body composition in this demographic.