Patients with schizophrenia experience high rates of cardiometabolic comorbidities such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The etiology of these comorbidities is multifactorial, arising from a complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including genetic predispositions, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, high smoking rates, poorer socioeconomic status, as well as antipsychotic medication side effects. Beyond the devastating medical sequelae, these comorbidities also contribute to medication non-adherence, low self-esteem, decreased quality of life, and worse cognitive functioning.
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