Investigating Body Mass Index and Body Composition in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Case-Control Study

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.

Adherence to Dietary Recommendations in Organized Living Beneficiaries with Severe Mental Disorders and Their Caregivers

“…Results for underweight participants with schizophrenia varied in previous research [ 7 , 9 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. With only 2% of the total sample categorized as underweight, the results of Costa et al [ 12 ] are closer to the presented ones.…”

“…In the present study, caregivers smoked in similar shares as beneficiaries. Results reported by Marthoenis et al [ 9 ] showed that 36.2% of patients and 63.8% of the control group were married. Marriage rates among beneficiaries (4.4 %) were substantially lower than reported in previous research, unlike rates among caregivers (68.4%).…”

“…Numerous studies showed a higher prevalence of smoking among schizophrenia patients [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. In Jakobsen et al’s [ 13 ] study, more than half of the participants (52.1%) reported daily smoking, whereas in Heald et al [ 11 ], 64.9% were smoking.…”

“…In the current study, half of the caregivers in our study and 63% of beneficiaries had a medium education level. Education level among patients with schizophrenia is usually lower [ 9 , 12 ]. Factors like smoking, a lower education level, physical inactivity, and a sedentary lifestyle are some of the most common risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases, in both the general population and people with severe mental disorders [ 23 , 24 ].…”

“…The prevalence of obesity in this population is 41–50% [ 5 ]. In addition to an elevated body mass index (BMI), studies of body composition have shown an increased proportion of fat tissue and a decreased proportion of muscle mass [ 7 , 9 ]. Several factors that may contribute to this are indicated in the literature: socioeconomic factors [ 10 ], use of tobacco products [ 11 , 12 ], poorer dietary habits [ 13 ], low physical activity [ 14 ], and metabolic disorders caused by antipsychotic therapy [ 7 , 15 ].…”