Mixed
Second-generation antipsychotics, particularly clozapine and olanzapine, cause significant weight gain in patients with schizophrenia, driven by increased caloric intake (orexigenic effects) and potentially altered energy expenditure.
If you are taking clozapine or olanzapine for schizophrenia, expect significant weight gain due to biological changes in hunger and food preference, not just lifestyle. This is a known side effect of the medication, not a personal failure. Proactive management with behavioral interventions and potentially switching to lower-risk medications (if clinically appropriate) is necessary.
Weight gain is greatest with the second-generation antipsychotics, clozapine, and olanzapine... The etiology includes adverse effects of antipsychotics... Patients with schizophrenia have higher intake of calories in the form of high-density food and lower energy expenditure.
Why this rating
Based on multiple meta-analyses, large cohort studies, and experimental models cited in the review.
Source
Weight gain and obesity in schizophrenia: epidemiology, pathobiology, and management
Peter Manu et al. · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · 2015
DOI 10.1111/acps.12445
More from this paper
- Metformin is the most effective pharmacological adjunct for treating antipsychotic-induced weight gain, resulting in significant weight loss compared to placebo.Strong
- Behavioral interventions involving caloric restriction, dietary restructuring, and moderate-intensity physical activity are effective in reducing weight and preventing further weight gain in patients with schizophrenia.Good
Related findings · Mixed
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