InSHAPE: An Exercise and Nutrition Wellness Program for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness

The InSHAPE individualized health promotion program has been gaining national attention for its success in helping individuals with serious mental illness to improve physical fitness and nutrition health. A community mental health agency in mid-Michigan has been enrolling participants in the year-long program since December 2010 and has collected data on numerous physiological and psychological measures at several time points during the year. This study will report the findings and relationships between these repeated measures including physical assessment data such as blood pressure and heart rate before and after exercise, 6-minute walk test, and body mass index; and psychological assessments such as self-efficacy for physical activity and eating habits, experiences of stress and levels of depression. Smoking, sleep habits and patterns, and social support will also be analyzed. This study will add to the current body of knowledge about the InSHAPE program that has included a recent qualitative study published in Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services that examined the sustainability of InSHAPE program fitness activities when participants complete the program. The nurse researcher has been actively involved as a therapeutic agent throughout the development and implementation of the InSHAPE program and during research activities in connection with it.