Weight loss treatment in inpatients with psychiatric disorders

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of exercise participation on body weight and depressive dimension in a sample of seriously overweight (BMI: 27.5-29.9) and obese (BMI ≥ 30) inpatients with psychiatric disorders. Methods: A retrospective review of BMI, psychiatric and exercise files was conducted for an initial cohort of 552 inpatients. Selection has been made among a group of inpatients admitted to two selected units, had a BMI ≥ 27.5 and a Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) dimension of depression ≥ 1.5. Thirty-seven patients were included, 19 participated in a weight-management programme, including psycho-educational groups, nutritional assistance and daily exercise, 18 received standardized psychiatric treatments with exercise 3-4 times/week. Associations between exercise, BMI changes and psychological modification were investigated by Pearson’s correlation. ANOVAs for repeated measures were conducted on BMI values and on the SCL-90 Depression and General Severity Index scores. Results/findings: Weight-management group reported higher exercise attendance (p < .001). Pearson’s correlations between the number of the attended exercise sessions and BMI changes were statistically significant (r = .53, p < .001). The repeated-measures ANOVA showed statistically significant higher reduction of BMI in the weight-management group compared with the control group (F(1, 35) = 7.03, p = .012), no significant differences were found in SCL-90 depression and GSI scores. Conclusions: Findings support the notion that exercise may have a positive impact on weight control programme also in people with psychiatric disorders and may help patients to cope with the psychological distress that weight loss could induce.