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Relationships between obesity, functional exercise capacity, physical activity participation and physical self‐perception in people with schizophrenia
Author(s) -
Vancampfort D.,
Probst M.,
Sweers K.,
Maurissen K.,
Knapen J.,
De Hert M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2010.01666.x
Subject(s) - overweight , obesity , body mass index , medicine , psychology , analysis of variance , physical therapy , physical exercise , perception , neuroscience
Vancampfort D, Probst M, Sweers K, Maurissen K, Knapen J, De Hert M. Relationships between obesity, functional exercise capacity, physical activity participation and physical self‐perception in people with schizophrenia. Objective: This study compared differences in functional exercise capacity between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Physical self‐perception and physical activity variables contributing to the variability in the distance achieved during a walk test were identified. Method: A total of 25 normal weight, 25 overweight and 10 obese patients and 40 healthy volunteers were included. Functional exercise capacity was explored with a 6‐minute walk test. Level of physical activity was assessed using the Baecke questionnaire and physical self‐perception using the physical self‐perception profile. Results: Obese patients walked a significantly shorter distance than overweight and normal weight patients (450.6 ± 97.7, 580.2 ± 116.0 and 615.8 ± 92.4 m resp., P < 0.001). All patients walked a shorter distance than healthy controls (710.6 ± 108.4 m, P < 0.001). Dyspnoea was only prevalent in schizophrenia (28.3%, P < 0.001) and especially in obese patients (90% vs. 40% in overweight and 27.3% in normal weight patients, P < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, 59% of the variance in walking distance was explained by body mass index, perceived sports competence and condition, physical self‐worth, level of sports participation and smoking behaviour. Conclusion: Functional exercise capacity in patients with schizophrenia is reduced not only by obesity, perceived discomfort and pain but also by a sedentary, unhealthy life style and a reduced physical self‐perception.