Abstract
Author(s):
Mandy Lee-Noble
Severe mental illness is characterised by a 20-year mortality gap due to cardiometabolic disease (Teasdale et al., 2016). Research dietitian Scott Teasdale from the University of New South Wales demonstrated a lifestyle program could improve dietary quality and physical activity in a group of people who had recently commenced antipsychotic medication. Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds (HBHM) is designed to address this identified need. HBHM is an exercise and nutrition program for people with mental illness, delivered by exercise physiologists and dietitians. The program is held at gym facilities of PCYC Queensland and collaboratively delivered with a partnering mental health organisation. Since beginning in 2015, over 35 programs at 13 PCYC sites across Queensland. Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ) have been the strongest partner in these initiatives, co-delivering half of these programs. Delivery of the programs by RFQ dietitians lies within the HAES® paradigm promoting all of the five HAES® principles: Weight Inclusivity, Health Enhancement, Respectful Care, Eating for Well-being and Life-enhancing Movement. The program involves a weekly two-hour group session. In the first hour participants eat together with a dietitian and discuss nutrition-related goals such as: realistic goal setting for health, accessing nourishing foods within a budget, enjoyment of eating. In the second hour the participants work with an exercise physiologist to build an enjoyable exercise program within their individual physical abilities. This program is currently being evaluated in a randomised controlled trial with QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Metro North Mental Health and Metro South Addictions and Mental Health Service. PCYC Queensland received the 2018 Open Minds Not-for-profit Large Mental Health Week Achievement Award, and Program Manager Dr Justin Chapman received the 2018 Open Minds Individual Achievement award for work associated with this program. An overview of the program and future directions will be provided in this presentation.
Teasdale, S. B., Ward, P. B., Rosenbaum, S., Watkins, A., Curtis, J., Kalucy, M., & Samaras, K. (2016). A nutrition intervention is effective in improving dietary components linked to cardiometabolic risk in youth with first-episode psychosis. British Journal of Nutrition, 115(11), 1987–1993. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114516001033
High-level results from the NMHC survey of Fifth Plan stakeholders will be presented, providing insight into feedback from key stakeholders (Primary Health Networks, state, territory and Commonwealth governments) with regards to achieving progress in Priority Are 5 of the Fifth Plan.