Managing Weight in Persons Living with Severe Mental Illness in Community Settings: A Review of Strategies Used in Community Interventions

Abstract

Although several published reviews have summarized the results of behavioral weight management interventions for persons with severe mental illness, little attention has been paid to the interventions themselves, despite the breadth of intervention strategies that have been examined in published trials. This study identified and systematically described 16 behavioral weight management interventions for community-dwelling persons with severe mental illness. Intervention content and delivery features that were considered included (a) approach to weight management; (b) theoretical constructs targeted to achieve behavior change; (c) diet, exercise, and/or self-regulation skills; (d) instructional strategies; and (e) intervention format including duration, intensity, and setting. Findings revealed modest, but sustained, weight loss. Individual and societal resources to address obesity among persons living with severe mental illness are limited. Further research is needed to identify the most effective and the most parsimonious interventions.