Abstract
Individuals who experience serious mental ill health such as schizophrenia are more likely to be overweight or obese than others in the general population. This high prevalence of obesity and other associated metabolic disturbances, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, contribute to a reduced life expectancy of up to 25 years. Several reasons have been proposed for high levels of obesity including a shared biological vulnerability between serious mental ill health and abnormal metabolic processes, potentially compounded by unhealthy lifestyles. However, emerging evidence suggests that the most significant cause of weight gain is the metabolic side effects of antipsychotic medication, usual treatment for people with serious mental ill health. In this paper we review the prevalence of obesity in people with serious mental ill health, explore the contribution that antipsychotic medication may make to weight gain and discuss the implications of this data for future research and the practice of mental health and other professionals.
Highlights
Obesity has been described as a global epidemic increasingly affecting populations in both developed and developing world countries alike [1]
We reviewed evidence regarding the prevalence of obesity in serious mental ill health (SMI), its possible causes and its effects on physical health
Foley and Morley (2011) [9] suggest that methodological limitations in the studies such as failing to assess for the effects non compliance with medication and conservative effects of using last observation carried forward (LOCF) to account for missing data means that actual weight gain could be underestimated by up to 50%
Summary
Obesity has been described as a global epidemic increasingly affecting populations in both developed and developing world countries alike [1]. In the United Kingdom it has been estimated that up to. 61.3% of adults are overweight or obese. The current cost of treating obesity related health problems is Healthcare 2014, 2 approximately £5 billion per year, a figure set to double by 2050 [2]. Common health problems related to obesity include a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers [1]. Individuals with serious mental ill health (SMI) such as schizophrenia are even more likely to be overweight or obese than other members of the general population [3].
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