Secure Psychiatric Environments and Apm Induced Weight Gain

Obesity in Secure Psychiatric Environments

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2011) overweight and obesity (obesity) are defined as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that is likely to impair the health of an individual.

WHO (2006) classify obesity based on a body mass index (BMI) score; this score is measured by weight in kilograms (kg) divided by height in meters squared (m2); kg/ m2. The table below illustrates the classifications to be categorised as either overweight or obese class I, II or III.

CLASSIFICATION | BMI (kg/ m2) |

Underweight | <18.5 |

Healthy Weight | 18.5-24.9 |

Overweight | ≥25.0 |

Obese Obese class IObese class IIObese class III | ≥30.030.0-34.935.0-39.9≥40.0 |

Source: WHO (2012) & WHO (2006)

Though, there are several arguments criticising the reliability of BMI. Such arguments consist of the lack of acknowledge BMI demonstrates with regards to body composition such as increased muscle mass, which may therefore render BMI as an inaccurate indicator; a study carried out by Romero-Corral et al. (2008) examined 13, 601 individuals from the United States’ (US) Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were examined and correlation between BMI, and both body fat percentage (BF%) and lean mass by gender and age groups. In accordance with WHO’s classification, the study found that BMI defined obesity (≥30 kg/m2) was present in 21% of men and 31% of women, while BF%-defined obesity was found in 50% of men and 62% of women and concluded that BMI demonstrates poor sensitivity to address BF%-defined obesity; out of the individuals with BF%-defined obesity, only 36% of men and 49% of women were identified, therefore rendering BMI as an accurate diagnostic tool for obesity as limited. Other limitations of BMI are the flaws in its ability to efficiently evaluation the overall health of the individual, accuracy in representation of adiposity, (Nevill et al., 2006; Flegal et al.,...