What were we trying to do?

In this study, we wanted to understand how the physical health of young people (aged 14-18) in inpatient care changes over time and whether it’s possible to track these changes during and after hospital care. We wanted to track physical health challenges such as weight gain, poor diet, low physical activity, and increased risk of conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

 

 

Why was this important?

Young people in mental health hospitals (CAMHS inpatient units) often face serious physical health challenges. These include weight gain, poor diet, low physical activity, and increased risk of conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Despite this, physical health is not routinely monitored or supported in these settings. 

 

 

How did we do it?

We followed 27 young people (aged 14–18) across three CAMHS inpatient units (Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust) over six months. We collected information about their physical and mental health at three points:

 

• when they were admitted
• three months later
• six months later.

 

The information collected included weight, blood tests, diet, exercise, and wellbeing. We also spoke to some young people about their experiences of physical health care.

 

We worked with young people to develop branding that was colourful and appealing, to help them stay engaged in the process. An example of the branding is below:

 

 

 

Key findings

What we found:

 

• Physical health worsened over time: Half of the young people were overweight or obese by the end of the study, and many showed signs of metabolic problems.
• Diet and exercise were poor: Most young people ate fewer than two meals a day and had very low levels of physical activity.
• Mental health improved, but some challenges like self-harm and difficulties with relationships remained.
• Monitoring after discharge was difficult: It was hard to stay in touch with young people and collect health data once they left hospital.
• Many young people were prescribed multiple medications, sometimes without a formal diagnosis, which may contribute to physical health risks.

 

This study shows that young people in CAMHS inpatient care are at high risk of physical health problems, and these issues often get worse over time. Hospitals could be a key place to support physical health, but current systems don’t do enough. Better support, clearer responsibilities, and joined-up care between hospital and community services are urgently needed.

 

 

Next steps

We need to:

 

• Make physical health a routine part of mental health care.
• Train and support staff to help young people live healthier lives.
• Develop new approaches that are co-designed with young people and families.
• Improve monitoring and continuity of care after discharge.
   

 

Who did we work with?

This was a cross-ARC collaboration with ARC Yorkshire and Humber.

 

We also worked with:

• Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

 

 

More information

 

 

 

Programme Manager
Gill Rizzello
gill.rizzello@manchester.ac.uk