Addressing Obesity in the Population with Schizophrenia-View Presentation

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In a recent webinar hosted by the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. Amy Cohen, an expert in severe mental illness, tackled the issue of obesity among individuals with schizophrenia. She highlighted the complex interplay of factors contributing to obesity in this population, including genetic, lifestyle, and medication-induced factors. The presentation focused on an evidence-based psychosocial weight management program called EQUIP, which was tailored for patients with schizophrenia. This program, implemented in four regions of the Veterans Administration, aimed to promote better health outcomes through an education-driven, 16-session wellness intervention that emphasized portion control and exercise.<br /><br />Dr. Cohen shared strategies for implementing such programs, stressing the importance of data collection using tools like kiosks for patient engagement and clinician reports. The program demonstrated that patients in the intervention group were 2.3 times more likely to attend weight management sessions compared to controls, achieving overall better health outcomes by preventing further weight gain. Dr. Cohen urged clinics to creatively address patient needs and integrate routine data into care for enhanced service delivery and outcome tracking, highlighting the critical role of clinic-wide collaboration and patient involvement.

Keywords

schizophrenia

obesity

psychosocial weight management

EQUIP program

Veterans Administration

wellness intervention

patient engagement

clinic collaboration