Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2012 Nov;19(4):211-218.

Body Image Distortion among Inpatients with Schizophrenia

• Kim SJ
• Moon SW
• Kim D

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Body image distortion is found in eating disorder and obesity and there are some evidence that schizophrenia is associated with body image distortion. This study sought to find whether schizophrenic patients report more body image distortion than healthy individuals and whether it is related with symptomatology.
METHODS
A total of 88 inpatients with schizophrenia and 88 healthy controls were recruited. Weight, height, and body image accuracy were assessed in all participants, and assessment of mood, psychotic symptom severity and self-esteem, and personal and social performance scale were conducted.
RESULTS
The patients with schizophrenia had higher Body Mass Index (p < 0. 001) and underestimated their body size more than controls (26.14% vs. 5.13%, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that lower depressive symptoms and higher scores of general psychopathology predicted underestimation of body size.
CONCLUSION
Weight gain and metabolic syndrome are common adverse events of pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia. Thus, underestimation of body size among patients with schizophrenia may interfere with effort to lose weight or seek weight reduction programs. Clinicians need to consider possible unterestimation of underestimation of body size in patients whose general symptomatology is severe.

Keyword

Body image; Schizophrenia; Body Mass Index; Body perception; Weight

MeSH Terms

Body Image
Body Mass Index
Body Size
Depression
Feeding and Eating Disorders
Humans
Inpatients
Obesity
Psychopathology
Schizophrenia
Weight Gain
Weight Reduction Programs