medwireNews: A “healthy living” intervention focused on exercise and diet has failed to impact body mass index (BMI) in overweight people with psychosis when evaluated in the setting of a randomised controlled trial.
The INTERACT study found that changes in BMI and waist circumference over a 12-month period were not significantly different between people assigned to the intervention and those given usual care.
INTERACT (INTERvention to Encourage ACTivity, Improve Diet, and Reduce Weight Gain) included 105 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief reactive psychosis or psychosis not otherwise specified.
They were randomly assigned to receive the intervention plus treatment as usual or just treatment as usual.
The intervention drew on Leevanthal’s Common Sense Model and had both motivational and behavioural components. Participants received seven individual psychoeducation sessions over a 6-month period, followed by a booster session, and were offered access to activities such as football, walking, cycling and cooking. They also received written information and advice.