Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia

Aboneh Solomon Sime; Habtamu Molla Ayele; Eyob Hailu Kebede; Teklu Assefa; Amare Tariku; Fikreselassie Getachew

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

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Original Article
Online Published: 30 Apr 2025

J Pub Health Comm Med. 2025; 4(1): 20-31

doi: 10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia

Aboneh Solomon Sime, Habtamu Molla Ayele, Eyob Hailu Kebede, Teklu Assefa, Amare Tariku, Fikreselassie Getachew.

Abstract
Background: Overweight and obesity is a nutritional problem in both developed and developing countries. Obesity is closely related to mental health and psychological distress can commonly occur. Patients with impaired mental health are strongly vulnerable to the risks of having involuntary weight gain, weight loss, or deficiency of essential nutrients. The study aims to assess the prevalence of overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending psychiatric outpatient clinics at Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was used to assess the prevalence of Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic in Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital from June - July, 2021. The data were collected from 456 adult patients with severe mental illness attending psychiatric outpatient clinics by using a face-to-face interview administered questionnaire. Both bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression were conducted using SPSS version 25 software. Variables in the bi-variable logistic regression analysis having a p-value of less than 0.2 were included in the multivariable logistic regression analysis.
Results: The study revealed that the prevalence of overweight/obesity among adult psychiatric patients with severe mental illness was 29.8%. Married patients were 56% (AOR: 0.44 96% CI: 0.23, 0.85) times less likely to be overweight/obese than those who didn't get married. Participants who didn't consume Khat were 3.92 times more likely (AOR: 3.92 96% CI: (1.21, 12.6) to be overweight/obese than participants who consume Khat.
Conclusion: Even though some significant factors were not included in this study, the finding shows that the magnitude of overweight/obesity is considerably high among psychiatric patients. With a remarkably high prevalence of overweight/obesity in psychiatric patients, targeted interventions like nutrition counseling regularly should be implemented and individualized weight management accordingly. Also, meal frequency and khat consumption associated significantly with the overweight/obesity status in this study call for attention in the clinical management plan to reduce the risk of further weight gain.

Key words: Overweight, Obesity, Severe Mental Illness, Psychiatric Patients, Ethiopia

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How to Cite this Article

Pubmed Style

Sime AS, Ayele HM, Kebede EH, Assefa T, Tariku A, Getachew F. Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia. J Pub Health Comm Med. Online First: 30 Apr, 2025. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

Web Style

Sime AS, Ayele HM, Kebede EH, Assefa T, Tariku A, Getachew F. Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia. https://www.wisdomgale.com/jphcm/?mno=249179 [Access: May 06, 2025]. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Sime AS, Ayele HM, Kebede EH, Assefa T, Tariku A, Getachew F. Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia. J Pub Health Comm Med. Online First: 30 Apr, 2025. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Sime AS, Ayele HM, Kebede EH, Assefa T, Tariku A, Getachew F. Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia. J Pub Health Comm Med, [cited May 06, 2025]; Online First: 30 Apr, 2025. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

Harvard Style

Sime, A. S., Ayele, . H. M., Kebede, . E. H., Assefa, . T., Tariku, . A. & Getachew, . F. (2025) Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia. J Pub Health Comm Med, Online First: 30 Apr, 2025. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

Turabian Style

Sime, Aboneh Solomon, Habtamu Molla Ayele, Eyob Hailu Kebede, Teklu Assefa, Amare Tariku, and Fikreselassie Getachew. 2025. Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia. Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine, Online First: 30 Apr, 2025. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

Chicago Style

Sime, Aboneh Solomon, Habtamu Molla Ayele, Eyob Hailu Kebede, Teklu Assefa, Amare Tariku, and Fikreselassie Getachew. "Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia." Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine Online First: 30 Apr, 2025. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Sime, A. S., Ayele, . H. M., Kebede, . E. H., Assefa, . T., Tariku, . A. & Getachew, . F. (2025) Overweight/obesity and associated factors among adult patients with severe mental illness attending the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia. Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine, Online First: 30 Apr, 2025. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250324091146

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