Perceived social support for diet and exercise among persons with serious mental illness enrolled in a healthy lifestyle intervention

Objective: There is a lack of research on social support for health behavior change among persons with serious mental illness who face disproportionate morbidity and premature death due to cardiovascular disease. This study examined social contact and the demographic, health and clinical characteristics associated with perceived social support for diet and exercise among persons living with serious mental illness enrolled in a healthy lifestyle intervention.

Method: Baseline data from two ongoing studies of the In SHAPE healthy lifestyle intervention for persons with serious mental illness were included in this analysis (N = 158). Cross-sectional analyses examined social contact and correlates of both negative and positive experiences of social support for diet and exercise. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the relationship between demographic characteristics, symptoms, health, and social support.

Results: The majority (80.3%) of participants reported face-to-face contact at least twice monthly with a family member or friend. Readiness to change physical activity was associated with greater criticism from family for exercise behaviors, r(64) = .29, p < .05. Depressive symptoms (β = .30, p < .01) were significantly associated with more unhealthy family eating environments while controlling for the amount of family contact (β = .27, p < .01), while readiness to change dietary portion size (β = .34, p < .01) was associated with encouragement for healthy eating from friends.

Conclusion and implications for practice: Participants had regular contact with significant others who were a source of both positive and negative support for healthy eating and exercise. Engaging natural supports in supporting healthy behaviors may help persons with serious mental illness initiate and maintain lifestyle change.