264873 Is Some Physical Activity Better than None? Examining Everyday Lives in People with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Bryan McCormick, PhD , School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Georgia C. Frey, PhD , Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Gretchen Snethen, PhD , Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Rachel Smith, MS , Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Estimates are that severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) reduce life expectancy by as much as 25 years. Most of this excess mortality is due to cardiovascular disease secondary to smoking, obesity and physical inactivity. It is well-established that people with SSD do not engage in even minimal levels of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Historically physical activity (PA) promotion efforts have focused on MVPA for its health-enhancing benefit; however, there is an increasing interest in sedentary behavior as an independent health threat. Thus reducing sedentarism is an emerging concept worthy of discussion, particularly regarding those with SSDs who are unlikely to engage in MVPA. In this context, light physical activity may be beneficial to the extent that it supplants sedentary behavior. Additionally, the course of diseases such as SSDs is culturally influenced. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of light physical activity on sedentary behavior among community-dwelling adults with SSDs in two countries. Data were collected using uniaxial accelerometry from subjects receiving community-based psychiatric services in the US (n=45) and Serbia (n=32). Analyses will be conducted using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in which sedentary minutes will be the DV, subject group (US, Serbia) will be entered as a factor and light PA minutes will be entered as a covariate. Both main effects and an interaction term (light minutes x group) will be examined. Findings from this study may provide support for the value of any level of PA in psychiatric rehabilitation.

Learning Areas:
Basic medical science applied in public health
Diversity and culture
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Explain differences in physical activity between US and Serbian citizens with schizophrenic spectrum disorders. Discuss if light physical activity provides a health benefit for extremely sedentary individuals.

Keywords: Adult and Child Mental Health, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am currently professor and chair of the Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism Studies at Indiana University. Dr. McCormick was a 2010 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research and lectures in psychiatric services in Eastern Europe. He is the author or co-author of over 50 peer-reviewed publications and 11 book chapters, many on the association between health and social behaviors in people with mental illness.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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