Long-term maintenance of weight loss in patients with severe mental illness through a behavioural treatment programme in the UK.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is common among people with severe mental illness (SMI). We report our experience from the first 4 years of The Cromwell House weight management clinic.


METHODS
Ninety-three patients with SMI aged 43.7 +/- 1.2 years referred themselves to this clinic. The patients were seen in weekly group sessions that involved weight measurement, discussion and education.


RESULTS
Mean baseline weight was 89.5 +/- 1.8 kg [body mass index (BMI) 32.3 +/- 0.5 kg/m(2)]. Twenty-three per cent dropped out within the first 8 weeks. There was progressive statistically significant reduction in mean weight and BMI throughout the duration of monitoring with no suggestion of a plateau. The mean final weight loss was 6.2 +/- 0.6 kg. Weight loss was correlated only with the number of sessions attended (r = 0.53, P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term weight management of obese and overweight patients with severe forms of mental illness was possible through the provision of simple lifestyle advice within the group setting.
Pendlebury
J
J
Bolton, Salford & Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust, Manchester, UK. john@pendlebury.freeserve.co.uk
Bushe
C J
CJ
Wildgust
H J
HJ
Holt
R I G
RI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D006113:United Kingdom; D015431:Weight Loss