Non-pharmacological management of overweight and obesity in adolescents with psychiatric disorders

Annika NORDKAMP^1,2,3, Grete TEILMANN ³, Martin JORSAL², Justina PETERSEN ², Julie MIDTGAARD²

¹Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark
²Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health Care (CARMEN), Glostrup, Denmark
³The Children’s Obesity Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Nordsjællands Hospital, Hillerød, Denmark

Introduction: Adolescents with mental illness (AMI) are a particularly vulnerable group at elevated risk of developing obesity, with the prevalence of overweight and obesity among AMI markedly exceeding that of the general pediatric population. However, this issue is often not addressed in child and adolescent mental health services. This study aims to map and synthesize existing evidence regarding non-pharmacological management of overweight and obesity in AMI.

Method: The study followed the guidelines from the Joanna Briggs Institute's review manual and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The protocol was preregistered on the Open Science Framework (OSF). The literature search was conducted in collaboration with an information specialist and performed in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO. The Covidence tool was employed for removing duplicates, as well as managing and screening abstracts. Two reviewers independently conducted the initial screening of titles and abstracts in line with the eligibility criteria. Three reviewers read the full-text versions of the identified articles to assess their final inclusion. In instances of discrepancies, consensus was reached through discussion.

Results: A total of 10 published, peer-reviewed studies were included in the review, including four qualitative studies, three cross-sectional studies, two cohort studies, and one secondary analysis. The work is still ongoing, and the results are expected to be available by the end of February. The findings will be presented in figures and tables, providing a comprehensive overview of the available literature in this field.

Conclusion: By summarizing available evidence on the management of overweight in a psychiatric context, this study offers a comprehensive description of available interventions, their effectiveness, and challenges. The results of this study will serve as a valuable resource to inform evidence-based clinical practice, guide the development of tailored interventions specifically adapted to the psychiatric environment, and encourage further research in this critically important area.