title: Physical activity and mental disorders: a case-control study on attitudes, preferences and perceived barriers in Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mentally ill people experience greater difficulty than the general population in exercising regularly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate attitudes displayed and barriers perceived towards physical activity in a sample of psychiatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 138 (M = 48, F = 90) patients attending a community mental health centre were compared with a control group made up of 138 subjects not affected by mental disorders matched for gender, mean age and education. Both groups underwent a self-administered questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients reported a more sedentary lifestyle in terms of weekly physical activities and daily hours of exercise; their body mass index (BMI) was significantly higher compared with the BMI of controls (p < 0.002); the mentally ill more frequently reported tiredness (p < 0.001), scarce motivation (p < 0.001) and the illness itself (p = 0.01) as barriers to physical activity; moreover, stating how feeling sad or "distressed" reduced their propensity to physical exercise (p = 0.002). A higher number of patients (p < 0.0001) reported little or no motivation for physical activity, and the experiencing of scarce enjoyment (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A series of barriers may limit regular physical activity in subjects affected by mental disorders; these barriers should be taken into account and appropriately addressed.
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine , University of Cagliari , Cagliari , Italy.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carpiniello
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Primavera
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilu
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vaccargiu
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pinna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D055815:Young Adult