Analysis of body composition in treatment people with mental disorders

Abstract

Drug-based intervention is used in the treatment of mental disorders with the objective of ameliorating symptoms, acting through the central nervous system. Mood stabilizers and antidepressants have side effects relating to excess weight gain. Faced with this finding, objective of this study is to assess the body composition of people on this class of drugs. The study population consisted of individuals on treatment, 10 men and 10 women, intentionally selected by psychotropic drug use for at least 6 months. Quantity and distribution of fat was determined using BMI, the waist/hip ratio, the body fat percentage according to anthropometric methods and by bioimpedance. Data related to calorie intake and the practice of physical activity were obtained from the treatment team. Data were represented with descriptive statistics in mean, minimum and maximum values with standard deviations, the t test to detect differences between groups, and one-way ANOVA to compare equations. The signifi cance level adopted was p<0.05. The results indicate a clear relationship between alterations in morphological composition and excessive body fat and the topography of adipose tissues in individuals that take antidepressants and mood stabilizers.