Obesity in patients taking antipsychotic drugs in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Abstract EN

Measurement of weight and height in 179 adult psychiatric patients, ages 17-70 years attending out pa-tient clinics for receiving their anti-psychotic drugs in the Southwest-ern Saudi Arabia were made.

Body mass index (BMI = Kg / m2) was used for assessment of clinically relevant obesity.

The overall prevalence of obesity was 20.7 %.

Obesity was nearly six times greater in female patients (59%) than in male patients (10%).

Statistical analysis showed that both age and unem-ployment were significantly asso-ciated with increase in the risk of clinically relevant obesity (Odds ratio, 95% confidence interval l : 1.

03 [1.0-1.068] and 0.419 [0.181-0.970] respectively) while duration of treatment was not (P < 0.65) (Odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.021 [0.933-1.117].

In view of these findings, engaging patients in regular jobs and introducing health Education programmes that encore-age physical activity as strategy di-rected towards weight reduction in patients taking antipsychotic drugs will certainly be justifiable.