ABSTRACT
Schizophrenia is associated with increased death rates and a reduced life span. Accidents and suicide do not account for the vast majority of such deaths. Evidence suggests that many illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, contribute to this excess mortality. Lifestyle factors including unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, alcohol use, tobacco smoking, and poverty are all considered to be important etiological factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. The debate concerning obesity and schizophrenia has thus far centered on the role of medication. There is little doubt that both conventional and atypical antipsychotic medications can induce weight gain. Most studies reporting patterns of obesity in schizophrenia have recruited subjects who are receiving or who have been exposed to psychotropic medication. Various physiological mechanisms have been proposed to account for the increased risk of diabetes among individuals with schizophrenia. Chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis has been posited to increase the likelihood of hyperglycemia in schizophrenia as seen within the general population.
