BMJ  2005;331:452-453 (20 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7514.452-b

Letter

Prognosis in obesity

Obesity in severe mental illness poses particular problems

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Lean's editorial on prognosis in obesity is a timely contribution to the literature on the relation between increasing weight and physical morbidity and mortality in the general population.¹ Obesity is also a problem in people with severe mental illness. Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorders, and schizophrenia rank among the top 10 causes of disability worldwide,² and this group of patients has excess physical morbidity and reduced life expectancy (less than half of which is accounted for by suicide³).

Metabolic diseases, including obesity, are likely to contribute to increased mortality in this population. Whether mental illness in itself is an independent risk factor for the development of obesity and other components of the metabolic syndrome or whether metabolic dysfunction is simply secondary to lifestyle remains unclear. Iatrogenic causes of obesity are also likely to be important as atypical antipsychotic drugs—a commonly prescribed class of psychotropic drugs—cause weight gain, . . . [Full text of this article]

paul.mackin@ncl.ac.uk
Department of Psychiatry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP

Department of Psychiatry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP

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Relevant Article

Prognosis in obesity

M E J Lean
BMJ 2005 330: 1339-1340. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]