Management of antipsychotic-induced weight gain: prospective naturalistic study of the effectiveness of a supervised exercise programme.

Objective: To determine the potential effectiveness of a behavioural weight control programme including physical exercise in the prevention of antipsychotic-induced weight gain and associated comorbid conditions in outpatients with schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Methods: A prospective, comparative, open and naturalistic study was carried out for a total of 110 patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorders (DSM-IV), on treatment with atypical antipsychotics. Of these, 59 patients participated in an 18 month weight control programme that included an educational activity about dietary and physical activity counselling as well as a structured, supervised, facility-based exercise programme.