A feasibility study of a physiotherapy-led motivational programme to increase physical activity and improve cardiometabolic risk in people with major mental illness.

Abstract

People with major mental illness (MMI) such as schizophrenia, bi- polar disease and major depression have a reduced life expectancy [1–3]. This is predominantly due to natural causes [4–8], such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome (MetS) [2,6]. MetS, which is characterised by elevated fasting glucose, low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, raised triglycerides, increased waist circumference (WC), and hypertension [9], is more common in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder than in the general population [10–12]. In addition, MetS is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease [13]. Pro-atherogenic ‘health risk behaviours’ associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, such as smoking, poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyle [14,15] contribute to premature cardiovascular death in this population.