PMID: 11913674Mar 27, 2002Paper

Management of weight gain in patients with schizophrenia

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Ralph Aquila

Abstract

Of the roughly 55% of the United States population that is considered overweight, half meet the criteria for obesity. Obesity is associated with serious health risks, but many clinicians graduate from medical school without a clear understanding of the effects of the foods that they and their patients consume. Obesity is more prevalent in people with mental illnesses, which poses an even greater challenge to clinicians. Antipsychotic treatment can cause weight gain, and mentally ill patients generally lack an understanding of nutrition as well as the ability to afford healthier foods. Therefore, clinicians must educate themselves about appropriate measures for preventing weight gain before or immediately after initiating antipsychotic therapy. Strategies for weight gain management that have proven effective in clinical trials include regular check-ups, lifestyle and medication counseling, medication assessments, behavioral control programs, and pharmacologic intervention. These approaches are necessary for clinicians to consider if efforts at reintegration of mentally ill patients are to succeed.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain

Antipsychotic-induced weight gain (aiwg) is a common adverse effect of this treatment, particularly with second-generation antipsychotics, and it is a major health problem around the world. Here are the latest discoveries pertaining to AIWG.

Antipsychotic Drugs

Antipsychotic drugs are a class of medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Discover the latest research on antipsychotic drugs here