S232. ASSOCIATIONS OF FOOD CRAVING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN PATIENTS WITH FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS

BACKGROUND: Obesity in patients with schizophrenia have important effects on metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, mortality, quality of life and treatment compliance. There is a growing interest in recognizing and intervening this problem. In this study, we aimed to explore the associations of food craving and eating pattern on weight gain and psychiatric characteristics in patients with first-episode psychosis. METHODS: We analyzed data from clinical cohort of first-episode psychosis. To exclude compounding effects of antipsychotics, we included patients who took one of amisulpride, paliperidone, and aripiprazole and whose duration of treatment was 3 months or less. The degree of food craving was measured by General Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait (G-FCQ-T). Psychiatric characteristics were investigated by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Weight was measured at baseline and 3 months. Associations between the G-FCQ-T and other measures including weight gain for 3 months were analyzed by gender. RESULTS: A total of 180 patients with first-episode psychosis were enrolled in this analysis. In male patients, the G-FCQ-T score was significantly associated with scores on the YBOCS and SES. In female patients, the G-FCQ-T score was significantly associated with the BDI, PSS, baseline body weight and weight gain for 3 months DISCUSSION: This study demonstrated the associations of food craving with depression, perceived stress, and weight gain in female patients and with obsessive compulsive symptoms and self-esteem in male patients. These results suggest various moderators impact weight gain and food craving in patients with first-episode psychosis.