Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a weight-management program for overweight schizophrenics. Methods: The patients were recruited from both the outpatient clinic and the psychiatric day hospital. They were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=14) or control group (n=14). Values for body weight, body-mass index, and body fat were measured. We assessed psychiatric symptoms with the Clinical Global Impression-Severity and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. We used the two-tailed paired t-test to evaluate within-group changes. Between-group differences were assessed using univariate analysis of variance. Results: There was no significant change in body weight of the patients from baseline to endpoint for either group. The severity of psychiatric symptoms in the intervention group was decreased significantly (CGI-S:t=2.280, df=13, p=.040; BPRS: t=5.362, df=13, p<.001). Conclusion: The body weight of the overweight schizophrenics did not decrease by this program, however, their psychiatric symptoms were improved by it. The results need to be duplicaled in future studies.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a weight-management program for overweight schizophrenics. Methods: The patients were recruited from both the outpatient clinic and the psychiatric day hospital. They were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=14) or control group (n=14). Values for body weight, body-mass index, and body fat were measured. We assessed psychiatric symptoms with the Clinical Global Impression-Severity and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. We used the two-tailed paired t-test to evaluate within-group changes. Between-group differences were assessed using univariate analysis of variance. Results: There was no significant change in body weight of the patients from baseline to endpoint for either group. The severity of psychiatric symptoms in the intervention group was decreased significantly (CGI-S:t=2.280, df=13, p=.040; BPRS: t=5.362, df=13, p<.001). Conclusion: The body weight of the overweight schizophrenics did not decrease by this program, however, their psychiatric symptoms were improved by it. The results need to be duplicaled in future studies.