Health of Psychiatry Residents: Nutritional Status, Physical Activity, and Mental Health.

Objective: This study aims to analyze mental health, nutritional status, and physical activity in psychiatry residents.

Methods: Sixty-two residents were invited and 59 participated (95.2% response). Depressive, anxious, and social phobic symptoms; alcohol use; and nicotine dependence were measured. Body mass index and lifestyle were also evaluated.

Results: Almost half of psychiatry residents were overweight or obese, and 61% reported a sedentary lifestyle. Furthermore, 33.9% of residents had high scores for anxiety; 30.5% for social phobia; and 19% for depression. In addition, 81.4% reported alcohol use, and 22% had harmful alcohol use. High scores for anxiety were associated with lower attention and worse relationship with preceptors, and high scores of depressive symptoms were related to a worse relationship with patients and preceptors. Anxiety was associated with depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) and social phobia (p = 0.006).

Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight high rates of overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in psychiatric residents.