Psychotic-like symptoms without a diagnosis of serious mental disorders do not appear to be associated with physical inactivity.
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The results indicate, on a multinational level across low-and middle-income countries, that a diagnosis of psychosis is associated with physical inactivity, especially among males. The study also demonstrates, however, that psychotic-like symptoms without a diagnosis of serious mental disorders do not appear to be associated with physical inactivity.
Across the entire population, the prevalence of people getting less than 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity was 26.9%. Overall, the prevalence of low physical activity was 24.3% in people with psychotic-like symptoms and no diagnosis and 33.0% in people with a diagnosis of a serious mental disorder.
The prevalence of low physical activity in people without any psychological problems was 27.0%. Compared to those without a diagnosis of a psychological condition, patients with a diagnosis of psychosis were more likely to be physically inactive in the overall sample and in males while this was not observed in females.
Research has established that people with confirmed psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia are at increased risk of cardio-metabolic disease. Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases are the leading causes of the 15 year mortality gap between those with psychotic illnesses and the general population. Though physical activity is effective for the prevention and management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the general population, people with psychotic disorders are among the most inactive clinical populations, spending on average almost 13 hours a day engaging in sedentary behavior.
This data from the World Health Survey was a cross-sectional survey carried out in 70 countries between 2002 and 2004. Using a mailed survey and interviews, participants were asked how many days over the past week, on average, they engaged in moderate and vigorous physical activity. Researchers also asked participants how much time they spent engaged in physical activity at a moderate and vigorous level.
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This is also the first adequately powered data set to demonstrate the importance of sex on physical activity levels in psychosis. The reasons why inactivity affects males more than females with a diagnosed mental disorder is unclear. However, the higher levels of inactivity among males could be due to the typical earlier onset of illness in males, higher burden of negative symptoms which includes low motivation, substance use disorders, and worse remission and recovery rates. Moreover, males with psychosis are more likely to die prematurely due to cardiovascular disease also.
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Source-Eurekalert