Physical activity and mental disorders: A case–control study on attitudes, preferences and perceived barriers in Italy

BACKGROUND: Mentally ill people experience greater difficulty than the general population in exercising regularly. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate attitudes displayed and barriers perceived towards physical activity in a sample of psychiatric patients. METHODS: A total of 138 (M = 48, F = 90) patients attending a community mental health centre were compared with a control group made up of 138 subjects not affected by mental disorders matched for gender, mean age and education. Both groups underwent a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients reported a more sedentary lifestyle in terms of weekly physical activities and daily hours of exercise; their body mass index (BMI) was significantly higher compared with the BMI of controls (p < 0.002); the mentally ill more frequently reported tiredness (p < 0.001), scarce motivation (p < 0.001) and the illness itself (p = 0.01) as barriers to physical activity; moreover, stating how feeling sad or "distressed" reduced their propensity to physical exercise (p = 0.002). A higher number of patients (p < 0.0001) reported little or no motivation for physical activity, and the experiencing of scarce enjoyment (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A series of barriers may limit regular physical activity in subjects affected by mental disorders; these barriers should be taken into account and appropriately addressed.