title: [Project to improve abdominal obesity in day care ward psychiatric patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Over half (57.14%) of patients in our ward suffer from abdominal obesity. This rate is on a continuing upward trend. Reasons for such obesity include lack of physical activity classes, inadequate physical activity, high calorie diets and unhealthy eating habits, chronic diseases and drug side effects, poor motivation to reduce weight, and lack of crisis awareness of abdominal obesity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This project was designed to lessen the problem of abdominal obesity among psychiatric day care inpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Resolution measures implemented included: (1) arranging aerobic exercise classes; (2) scheduling classes to teach patients healthy diet habits and knowledge regarding diseases and drugs; (3) holding a waistline reduction competition; (4) displaying health education bulletin boards; (5) holding a quiz contest with prizes for correct answers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The eight abdominally obese patients in the ward achieved an average waist circumference reduction of 2.9 cm and the overall abdominal obesity rate in the ward fell to 35.7%. BMI, eating habits, and awareness of weight loss importance and motivation all improved. The outcome achieved targeted project objectives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend the integration of obesity prevention into routine ward activities and quality control indicators. Nurses should provide patients with weight loss concepts, regularly monitor risk factors, and encourage patient family cooperation to maintain medical care quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chia-Yi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
authors.forename: Yu-Chieh
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui-Ling
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Min-Li
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011786:Quality Control; D015431:Weight Loss