Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of lifestyle interventions on physical activity and eating habits in persons with severe mental disorders: A systematic review

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in persons with severe mental disorders and this has serious implications on the short and long term health outcomes of these patients. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions targeting physical activity and eating habits in persons with severe mental disorders. Special attention was given if any of the included studies in the review also examined the cost-effectiveness of these health promotion interventions.MethodsA systematic search through the electronic databases Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cohrane Library was conducted, and by hand-searching the reference lists of the retrieved articles from the electronic databases. Studies were included if they examined effectiveness and/or cost-effectiveness of lifestyle interventions targeting physical activity and eating habits in persons with severe mental disorders, with primary outcome changes in Body Mass Index and body weight.ResultsFourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Weight loss and Body Mass Index decrease were observed in intervention groups in 11 studies. The difference in weight change between intervention and control groups was statistically significant in nine studies. Differences in mean Body Mass Index between intervention and control groups were statistically significant in eight studies. Five studies reported improvements in quality of life and general health. In none of the studies cost-effectiveness of lifestyle interventions was examined.ConclusionFurther research on both effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of lifestyle interventions targeting physical activity and eating habits in persons with severe mental disorders is required to assist in the development of new health promotion interventions in this population.

Cardiometabolic comorbidity in antipsychotic treated patients: need for systematic evaluation and treatment

“…It is obvious that life style changes, such as improving nutrition, changing smoking habits, and increasing physical exercises, are essential in cardiovascular risk management (Vancampfort et al 2010;Verhaeghe et al 2011). Given the cross sectional design of the present study, factors that contributed to the development or reversal of the individual cardiometabolic abnormalities could not be identified.…”

Weight Gain and its Correlates among Forensic Inpatients

“…Lifestyle changes are considered the first line of treatment to decrease cardiovascular risks in people with metabolic syndrome, 30 being more effective than pharmacological interventions. 3,8,15,20,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40] Forensic psychiatrists try to treat obesity on a case-by-case basis by imposing limits on junk food, 41 but systematic control over diet and behavioural contingencies is quite feasible in psychiatric hospitals. 33 A simple measure already taken in the study hospital is to reduce the regular diet to no more than 2400 kcal/day, and therapy for forensic inpatients with metabolic syndrome that supports dietary and activity changes is proposed.…”

An Intervention with Physical Activity and Lifestyle Counseling Improves Health-Related Quality of Life and Shows Small Improvements in Metabolic Risks in Persons with Psychosis

“…The most important result was the improvement of HRQoL demonstrated by the EQ-VAS within the intervention group. Previous research has shown that interventions based on group activities are efficient (Green et al, 2014, Bonfioli, et al, 2012, Verhaeghe et al, 2011, Happel et al, 2012, and that QoL is shown to be one of the variables most affected by interventions (Happel et al, 2012). Our intervention attempted to take a multifaceted grasp of lifestyle, here defined as physical activities, and education in lifestyle and nutrition.…”