Rationale: Patients with bipolar disorder and severe depressions have a 10-year shorter life expectancy, on average, than the population as a whole. Also patients with less severe depression are still at a substantially increased risk of cardiovascular events. This may be attributed primarily to somatic complications resulting from a largely sedentary existence and an unhealthy lifestyle related to their disorder and/or the side effects of psychopharmacological treatment. Generally speaking, multimodal lifestyle interventions are about as effective as medication in reducing cardiovascular risks. Very little research has been conducted into the effect of lifestyle interventions among outpatients in mental health care or patients with mental health problems in general practice. This study seeks to examine the extent to which a personalised lifestyle approach can promote the physical health and quality of life of outpatients and general practice patients with affective disorders.~Objective: The objective of this study is to develop a personalised state-of-the art lifestyle intervention that is both feasible and acceptable to outpatients with bipolar and severe recurrent depressive disorder and to patients with depression in general practice Study design: An explorative pilot study (n = 38) with baseline measurement and different follow-up measurements during and after the intervention.~Study population: Patients (18-65 years old) with bipolar disorder or severe recurrent depression who are being treated at GGZ Drenthe (N=30) and patients with depression in primary care (N=8).~Intervention (if applicable): A personalised multimodal lifestyle intervention consisting of several modules comprising both individual and group sessions. The support network is involved during the individual sessions.~Main study parameters/endpoints: Feasibility and acceptability of the lifestyle intervention.
Persons with affective disorder have a considerably increased risk of cardiovascular disease. To a considerable extent, this is due to an unhealthy life style. At present, no adequate lifestyle interventions are available for these patients. In the present pilot intervention study we study the acceptability and feasibility of a newly developed lifestyle intervention that is specifically tailored to the needs of patients with affective disorders treated in mental health care or general practice.