Physical activity and anomalous bodily experiences in patients with first-episode schizophrenia
Sammanfattning
Background: Low physical activity is strongly correlated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and
poor physical health. Although the prevalence of MetS is high in patients with first-episode
schizophrenia (FES), little is still known about the level of and possible barriers for physical activity
in FES.
Aim: The purpose of the study was to compare physical activity in patients with FES with healthy
controls; to investigate changes in physical activity over 1 year of follow-up; and to explore the
correlations of physical activity and anomalous bodily experiences reported by patients with FES.
Methods: Both physical activity and aerobic fitness were measured. Anomalous bodily experiences
were measured by selected items from the Examination of Anomalous Self-Experience and The Body
Awareness Scale. Psychopathological data comprising negative and positive symptoms and data on
psychotropic medication were obtained from medical records of all patients.
Results: Physical activity and aerobic fitness was significantly lower in patients with FES compared
with healthy controls (p <0.001). Over 1 year of follow-up patients had lower physical activity and
aerobic fitness. Patients with more severe anomalous bodily experiences had significantly lower
physical activity compared with patients with fewer such experiences (p = 0.030). In linear regression
analyses only negative symptoms were significantly correlated with low physical activity (ß = 0.88;
95% confidence interval = 1.48 to-0.29; p<0.001).
Conclusion: Physical activity and aerobic fitness is low in patients with FES. Both anomalous bodily
experiences and negative symptoms are significantly correlated with low physical activity.