Prevention of Sarcopenic Obesity in Hospitalized Patients with Schizophrenia : A Case Report

Abstract

It has been reported that patients with schizophrenia have a life expectancy 10 to 15 years shorter than the general adult population. Therefore, interventions to extend their healthy life expectancy are necessary. The subjects were two patients with schizophrenia who were obese （body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher） and at high risk for health problems such as heart attack, diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease. The patients received nutritional counseling to prevent sarcopenic obesity, and daily range of motion （ROM） and walking exercises. Although the joint ROM of the shoulder joint （flexion, abduction, and external and internal rotation） was below normal ROM, ROM increased slightly following the intervention. Thus, ROM exercises have the potential to improve ROM. The patients’ body weight decreased slightly; however, they did not change their eating habits and muscle strengthening was not observed. Our findings suggest that continued exercise therapy and nutritional counseling are necessary for the prevention of sarcopenic obesity.