Summary
Obesity and weight gain represent a challenging issue in people suffering from schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses
(SMI). Most of clinical guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in people with SMI share a stepwise approach
starting with more conservative interventions, with diet, physical activity, lifestyle coaching and behavioral modifications. The aim of
this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a group weight management program in a real-world outpatient Italian setting. Data
from 100 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, undergone to a group metabolic management program, were
analyzed through a 12 months follow-up. The main body weight (kgs) decreased from 98.01±18.30 at baseline to 93.29±17.36
(p>0.001) at 6 months to 90.35±17.90 at 12 months. Parallel statistically significant decreases were found for BMI, waist circumference,
glycaemia and systolic blood pressure. After patients’ segmentation into normal-weight, overweight and obese at baseline, the
significant of the decrease emerged only between baseline and the 6-month endpoint, thus suggesting that the program was
successful in the short-term. Notwithstanding the limitations of the study, the 12-month intervention evaluated demonstrated
feasibility and a high retention rate. This allowed a relevant weight reduction during the first six months, followed by durable
maintenance until the end of the study. Current NICE recommendation guidance indicates that people with SMI, particularly those
on antipsychotic treatment, should be provided with integrated nutrition and exercise programmes by their healthcare professional.
Future research should focus on the effectiveness
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