Weight And Metabolic Status Of Children And Adolescents Admitted To A Psychiatric Hospital: A Prospective Study

ObjectiveTo evaluate the status of weight (BMI) and Metabolic status in children at the time of admission and discharge to a psychiatric hospital.MethodThis prospective study followed 36 of 70 children/adolescents (ages 7 to 17 years) from admission to discharge in Psychiatric Hospital, who were randomly selected at the time of admission (by a coin toss procedure) over a 3 month period. Weight (body mass index-BMI and BMI/age %) and metabolic measures (FBS, LDH/HDL, and Cholesterol levels) were evaluated at admission, throughout their hospital stay, and at discharge.ResultsBMI > 25 and BMI/age % of 55% indicated that psychiatrically hospitalized children were overweight at admission. Furthermore, 66.7% (24/36) patients (9 of 11 children ages 7-12; 15 out of 25, ages 12-17) at discharge were at high risk or overweight. Patients admitted were at high risk for overweight and obesity at admission and continued to gain weight during admission, with average weight gains of 11.7 %. The metabolic status of these patients indicated abnormal Cholesterol, LDH/HDL, and Triglycerides levels.ConclusionThese patients appear to be 3-4 times at greater risk of being overweight, obese and have concurrent metabolic abnormalities by the national rates using Centers of Disease Control and Prevention 2000 criteria. This places this group at a higher risk of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, physicians must provide appropriate treatments for these conditions by implementing appropriate dietary and exercise programs for this very high risk group.