Nutrition Intervention In Metabolic Syndrome In Young People With Mental Illness (NIMSMI)

The intervention will be delivered by the clinical dietitian who is a higher degree research student with the UNSW. This dietitian provides services to people with mental illness for the past 18 years. Her dietetics experience is of more than 30 years in clinical dietetics in Australia. a) For all participants, controls and intervention, there will be an initial individual nutritional assessment with 5 monthly follow ups/reviews (individual reviews). This is a face-to-face consultation. Initial individual consultation will last an hour and reviews from 45 minutes to an hour according to individual needs. b) For the randomly allocated participant to the intervention group (50%), in addition, there will be a weekly nutrition and health education session for 6 months. Each session will last an hour taking into consideration the shortness of concentration of most people with mental illness. This program will use power point presentations, video forums, cooking demonstrations, eating out and other activities associated with their regular mental health management and activities. PROGRAM FOR THE INTERVENTION GROUP Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome in Young People with Severe Mental Illness: A Nutrition Education & Health Promotion Approach - WSLHD-MENTAL HEALTH – PEIRS, BEAT & headspace - THE UNSW - SCHOOL OF PSYCHIATRY - 2017 – 2018 GROUP NUTRITION EDUCATION & HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMME INTERVENTION VENUE: PEIRS & headspace Parramatta [ ] BEAT & headspace Mt Druitt [ ] MONTH 1 Good Eating For Healthy Young People - to reduce major risks for metabolic syndrome. Applying the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Eating Video 1 Recipe development: snacks Health Promotion Art Therapy Evaluation MONTH 2 Guideline 1 To achieve and maintain a healthy weight Energy input vs Energy Expenditure Video 2 Recipe development: meats and fish Health Promotion Art Therapy Evaluation MONTH 3 Guideline 2 Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods Protecting our Heart and Blood Circulation Video 3 Recipe development: eggs Health Promotion Art Therapy Evaluation MONTH 4 Guideline 3 Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol. Reducing risk of Cancer with good food. Video 4 Recipe development: fruits and drinks Health Promotion Art Therapy Evaluation MONTH 5 Guideline 4 Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding. Strong Immune System Guideline 5 Care for your food; prepare and store it safely Healthy Bones Video 5 Recipe development: salads Health Promotion Art Therapy Evaluation MONTH 6 Metabolic Syndrome Diabetes Weight – Waist C. Video 6 Recipe development: desserts Health Promotion Art Therapy Evaluation All the participants, controls and intervention, will have an hour initial full nutritional assessment including and complemented with the following (baseline to be measured against results at 6 and 12 months from intervention): Clinical Variable & Method of Assessment Anthropometry : At initial consultation the Dietitian will measure anthropometry: weight, height and waist circumference. Biochemical markers: Full Blood Count, Lipid Profile, Fasting Glucose, Insulin Level, and HbA1c when diabetes is present. Clinical database maintained at Blacktown-Mental Health, PEIRS and headspace will be used. These results will be collected on the Dietitian’s Referral Form. Physical activity levels Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ; (Rosenbaum et al., 2011) and to be applied by the dietitian at first consultation (part of the baseline). Dietary habits Diet history obtained during first clinical consultation. Food Frequency Questionnaire developed by Gladys Hitchen The University New Castle Food Frequency Questionnaire Sleeping patterns-Number of hours of sleep and its pattern, and if food is eaten late at night. Sleep Quality Assessment (PSQI): validated Nutritional supplementation-If has been prescribed, what was the reason and which supplements are being taken. Why: to establish a baseline for comparison with results at 6 and 12 months from intervention. When: to start recruiting in March 2017 (this date needs to be changed as this application is still not approved) as soon as WSLHD-Ethics Committee and the ANZCTR Registry approve my study. How this will occur: Liaison with the Principal and Associated Investigators have taken place and all are ready to recruit as soon as Ethics and ANZ Registry’s approval is granted. The WSLHD- Referral form for Dietetics in Mental Health will be used for the psychiatrists, nursing and allied health professionals to refer their patients to the study. The computerised randomisation will be the responsibility of the UNSW. The support of their parents and/or carers have been taken into account, and at the moment of recruitment using a health care professional’s referral, this option will be proposed to the parent or guardian, however is not compulsory as some parents work and would not be able to attend. The participants are young people with mental illness whose parents and or carers are involved in the clinical care of their children, is part of the patient’s good clinical care practice. It means that the learning during the individual or group education sessions will have a greater chance of being supported at home. What it is important with this option is the possibility of enhancing the health and lifestyle outcomes for the young person when a close relative or guardian is present. Both groups will receive the individual assessment and follow up, however the intervention group will be allocated to additional learning program as it was explained before. The monthly reviews or follow up will have a duration of 45 minutes, however, if there is a need for more time, this will be extended to an hour.