Determinants of health status and body mass index of adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities

Introduction: To identify demographic, health behaviors, and social-environmental factors contributing to health status and body mass index (BMI) for adults with intellectual/ developmental disabilities (I/DD), we analyzed the National Core Indicators (NCI) 2009-2010 data (N = 9,267) collected from 18 states.

Methods: Multinomial logistic regression and hierarchical multiple regression were conducted to examine outcome measures on health status and BMI. Independent factors included the demographic (age, gender, type of disability, level of intellectual disability, race, mobility, behavior support needs, use of psychotropic medication); health behaviors (physical activity, smoking); and social-environmental (residential type, choice, preventive health care utilization).

Results: As compared with individuals who were rated as “excellent or very good health”, those in “poor health” were more likely to be older, female, Latino or other, a smoker, non ambulatory, have a higher BMI, and engaging in less physical activity. BMI was positively associated with being young or middle age, female, having Down syndrome, not having cerebral palsy, having less severe intellectual disability, being black, being ambulatory, taking psychotropic medication, engaging in less physical activity, living in independent home or apartment, and having more daily living choices. When only examining older adults aged 60 and older, “poor health” was related to having Down syndrome, a higher BMI, taking psychotropic medication, being non ambulatory, and using less preventive health care.

Conclusions: These findings point out the important role of health behaviors and residential setting on health and BMI of adults with I/DD.