Key result
First-episode schizophrenia is linked to cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness below the ~50th national percentile.
Why the study?
The fitness status and potential correlates of fitness in first-episode schizophrenia patients were not well characterized using standardized fitness assessments.
Cross-Sectional (n=70)
First-episode schizophrenia patients exhibit impaired physical fitness across multiple domains compared to national norms, which correlates with higher BMI and smoking.
Impaired fitness in first-episode schizophrenia warrants clinical attention; leaves open whether early intervention alters trajectories.
AIM: This study determined the fitness status and examined potential correlates of fitness in first-episode schizophrenia patients using a standardized fitness test protocol. METHODS: A certified fitness instructor administered the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) fitness test to 70 recent-onset schizophrenia participants within 3 months of entry into the study. RESULTS: Percentile ranks of scores on muscular strength and endurance, muscular flexibility and cardiorespiratory fitness in our sample were all below the 50th percentile when compared with national norms in the United States. As expected, patients with a higher body mass index and those who smoked had poorer cardiorespiratory fitness. A non-significant trend indicated that patients with a longer duration of illness had worse cardiorespiratory fitness. Exposure to antipsychotic medication was unrelated to cardiorespiratory fitness. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that physical fitness is impaired and might decline over time in first-episode schizophrenia patients, but this needs to be confirmed in a longitudinal study.
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Gretchen‐Doorly et al. (2011) conducted a cross-sectional in First-episode schizophrenia (n=70). First-episode schizophrenia vs. United States national norms was evaluated on Percentile ranks of scores on muscular strength and endurance, muscular flexibility and cardiorespiratory fitness. First-episode schizophrenia patients demonstrated muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory fitness scores below the 50th percentile compared with US national norms.
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