Abstract
Background Antipsychotics exert metabolic side effects, and prolonged treatment with antipsychotics causes changes in body weight and muscle composition. Nevertheless, reports on the changes in body composition of patients with schizophrenia have been limited. This study is aimed at comparing the body mass index and body composition of patients with schizophrenia with healthy individuals in Indonesia. Methods A total of 195 patients with schizophrenia (148 males and 47 females) and 195 healthy individuals matched by gender were recruited. Using the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis method, the participants' body compositions were measured. Results Compared to healthy individuals, the patient group exhibited a higher rate of underweight as well as a lower rate of overweight and obesity. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the associations between the body mass index and all measured body compositions. Furthermore, the diagnosis of schizophrenia is significantly associated with lower muscle mass, lower bone mass, higher basal metabolic rate, older metabolic age, and higher total body water. Conclusions The results showed that patients with schizophrenia are at a greater risk of a lower quality of certain components of body composition. Priority should be given to research that addresses increasing the patient's level of physical activity.
Highlights
Obesity is more prevalent in patients with schizophrenia than in the general population [1, 2], even after controlling for age, gender, and psychiatric practice attended [3]
The consideration of detail of body composition is significant because, body mass index (BMI) is significantly correlated with fat mass, the value can be misleading depending on the individual level of adiposity [9]
This study examined the BMI and body composition of patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy controls
Summary
Obesity is more prevalent in patients with schizophrenia than in the general population [1, 2], even after controlling for age, gender, and psychiatric practice attended [3]. The significant predictors of obesity include gender, education level, smoking behavior, type 2 diabetes, a higher level of triglycerides [7], and antipsychotic medication [8].While a patient’s body mass index (BMI) is a marker for their nutritional status, it does not reflect the changes in their body composition. The Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) method has been more frequently used to measure body composition variables. This study is aimed at comparing the body mass index and body composition of patients with schizophrenia with healthy individuals in Indonesia. Using the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis method, the participants’ body compositions were measured. The results showed that patients with schizophrenia are at a greater risk of a lower quality of certain components of body composition. Priority should be given to research that addresses increasing the patient’s level of physical activity
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