title: Body weight perception and methods of weight reduction used by patients with first-episode psychotic disorders in Hong Kong.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine subjective weight perception of patients with first-episode psychotic disorders, perceived reasons for believing they were overweight, and methods employed for weight reduction (about 1 year) whilst in receipt of antipsychotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 160 consecutive participants with a 1-year history of first-episode psychotic disorders were recruited and their body mass index, subjective weight perception, and the wish to do something about their weight were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For patients of both genders with first-episode psychotic disorders, weight control behaviours were more associated with the perceived weight status than their actual weight. Most participants who perceived themselves as overweight believed that their weight problem was caused by the antipsychotics they had been taking. Self-reduction of antipsychotics was the commonest method they resorted to in the belief it would result in weight reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need to implement more structured weight loss and physical exercise programmes for patients with first-episode psychotic disorder in order to maintain their physical and mental health.
authors.affiliation: Castle Peak Hospital, 15 Tsing Chung Koon Road, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong SAR, China. wmc009@ha.org.hk
authors.forename: M M C
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wong