Publications

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Severe mental illness is characterised by a 15-year mortality gap driven by cardiometabolic disease. Antipsychotic treatment leads to increased appetite and rapid weight gain. The 12-week lifestyle pilot intervention improved dietary intake and prevented antipsychotic-induced weight gain. Here we report two-year outcomes. METHOD: Participants were exposed to an extended program. Weight and waist circumference were measured, and food frequency questionnaire completed. RESULTS: Diet quality was higher, and discretionary food intake was 40% lower, at two-years compared to baseline. Weight and waist-circumference did not increase. CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrated sustained effectiveness of a dietetic intervention in youth with first-episode psychosis with improvements in diet quality and no increase in weight secondary to antipsychotic medication initiation.