Examining the difference between quality of life, excessive food cravings, and cognitive functions i̇n exercising and non-exercising schizophrenia patients

Objective: Patients with schizophrenia who exercise and do not; the aim of this study was to examine the difference between the scores of Quality of Life (SF-36), Cognitive Behavioral Physical Activity Questionnaire (CBPAQ), Excessive Food Cravings Scale (EFCS) scores, and the total score with the result of the Tinetti Balance and Walking, Mirror Tracking and Dexterity Test results. Method: 253 individuals (nfemale=107, nmale=146) diagnosed with schizophrenia between the ages of 18-70 participated in the study voluntarily. In the study, the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), Personal Information Form, CBPAQ, SF-36 scale and EFC scales were applied to patients with schizophrenia. In addition, Tinetti Balance and Walking Test, Mirror Test Tracking and Dexterity Test. Results: It was determined that the body mass indexes (BMI), CBPA Questionnaire; sub-dimensions of outcome expectation, self-regulation, and personal barriers and total CBPA score, Quality of Life; sub-dimensions of emotional role difficulty, vitality, mental health and general health, EFC Scale; sub-dimensions of no eating control, Tinetti Balance and walking Test and Tinetti total scores were found to significant differences between those who doing exercise and those who do not exercise (p<0.01). There was no statistically difference between those who doing exercise and those who do not exercise in terms of Quality of Life; sub-dimensions of physical function, physical role difficulty, social functionality and pain, EFC Scale sub-dimensions, and also the total score of EFCS, Mirror Tracing test time and the number of errors, Dexterity Test score (p>0.05). There was a significant relationship between BMI and Tinetti Balance, Quality of life; sub-dimension of emotional role difficulty of participants exercising. There was a significant relationship between BMI and EFCS; sub-dimensions of food consumption intent plan, positive support expectation, negative mood and relaxation, no eating control, food thinking preoccupation, emotions of experience before and during feeding, inability to resist the desire to eat and the total score of EFCS. Conclusion: It was determined that there was a difference between the BMI, CBPAQ, SF-36, EFCS, Tinetti Balance, and walking test results of schizophrenia patients who exercise and do not. Key words: exercise, schizophrenia, life quality, excessive food cravings, cognitive functions