Prevalence and associated factors of obesity in adults with intellectual disabilities living in the community

Introduction. Obesity has become an epidemic and an important public health concern. This study examined the prevalence of obesity in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) in comparison with the general population, and investigated the factors associated with obesity. Methods. This study used baseline data (N=1620) from an ongoing 4-year Longitudinal Health and Intellectual Disabilities Study. Measures included body mass index (BMI), demographics, level of ID, health behaviors (physical activity, dietary habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, and oral health), life events in the past year, and various health parameters (e.g., chronic conditions, medications). Results. Overall, 38.4% of adults (≥18 years) with ID were obese (BMI≥30 kg/m2); women were more obese than men (43.7% vs. 34.1%, p=0.001). This was especially true for women over age 20 (43.9% for women with ID vs. 35.5% of women without ID); while comparable for men (34.3% vs. 32.2%). Logistic regressions indicated that being female (OR=1.48, 95% CI= 1.16-1.90), having Down syndrome (OR=2.78, 95% CI= 2.06-3.76), taking medications causing weight gain (OR=1.68, 95% CI= 1.28-2.19), watching TV (≥ 3 hours per day) (OR=1.07, 95% CI= 1.01-1.14), drinking regular soda (≥ 2 cans per day) (OR=1.19, 95% CI= 1.01-1.40), living in an urban area (OR=1.46, 95% CI= 1.02-2.07), and having at least one life event in the past year (OR=1.30, 95% CI= 1.01-1.69) were associated with obesity. Conclusion. Health promotion programs tailored toward healthy diet choices, coping skills for life events, and being active are needed to lower obesity and improve quality of life in adults with ID.