Patients with severe and persistent mental illness treated with antipsychotic medications reported positive changes in diet, exercise, stress management, improved sleep, and increased confidence in maintaining these lifestyle changes after participating in the Solutions for Wellness Personalized Program (SFWPP), new data show.
The findings, presented today at the College of Psychiatric & Neurologic Pharmacists Annual Meeting, also indicate that those who made positive changes in diet experienced weight loss and reduced Body Mass Index (BMI). The Solutions for Wellness Personalized Program is a customized weight management plan that helps patients with serious mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, lose weight, reduce BMI and improve overall wellness.
"[The Solutions for Wellness Personalized Program] gave me direction on how to improve my eating habits, start an exercise regimen and think about weight loss differently. In short, it helped me build up my self-esteem," said one participant. Another participant indicated that, "it's easier for me to get out and exercise. It's easier for me to eat healthy, to plan meals, to look at myself and say, 'I don't have to be heavy and I don't have to be overweight,' I can be happier with myself."
Patients with severe and persistent mental illness are at increased risk for weight gain and obesity due to various factors, including sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, and lack of access to adequate medical care, nutritional and exercise programs. In addition, many medications used to treat mental illness, including atypical antipsychotic medications, may cause weight gain. The Solutions for Wellness Personalized Program, created by the Patient Marketing Group, Inc. and sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, is a free, six-month program available for healthcare professionals to offer their patients diagnosed with a serious mental illness. The program provides individualized education on nutrition, exercise, stress management and sleep improvement, and support for improving overall wellness.
The Solutions for Wellness Personalized Program helps healthcare professionals provide better quality care by emphasizing the importance of treating both the mind and the body of the patient. As one physician noted, "we as mental health professionals don't have much to offer in terms of weight management . … This is something above and beyond what I can offer patients." Another physician reported, "SFWPP is additional support outside my area of expertise that I can provide patients. It is a tremendous tool for me."
Key Findings