This article presents findings on the long-term impact of health practitioner input to reduce obesity amongst adults with intellectual disabilities. Body mass index (BMI) was measured for an input group (N = 33) and a comparison group (N = 40) 6 years after the input group first received input. Data on BMI were collected at […]
Abstract Topics: Obesity
Schizophrenia, obesity, and antipsychotic medications: what can we do?
Obesity is one of the most common physical health problems among patients with severe and persistent mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia. Multifactorial in origin, obesity can be attributed to an unhealthy lifestyle as well as the effects of psychotropic medications such as second-generation antipsychotics. Excess body weight increases the risk for many medical problems, including […]
Learning what matters for patients: qualitative evaluation of a health promotion program for those with serious mental illness.
Sedentary lifestyle, poor dietary behaviors and metabolic alterations associated with psychiatric medications contribute to poor health and high rates of obesity among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). Interventions that increase engagement in physical exercise, dietary modifications, lifestyle changes and preventive health care can provide health benefits across the lifespan. These interventions have led to […]
Physical activity for youth with disabilities: a critical need in an underserved population.
The recommended amount of daily physical activity for youth is 60 minutes a day, most days of the week. Youth with disabilities are not achieving this target and are significantly less active and more obese than their non-disabled peers. The combination of the health risks associated with physical inactivity and obesity presents a serious health […]
Promoting the participation of children with disabilities in sports, recreation, and physical activities.
The benefits of physical activity are universal for all children, including those with disabilities. The participation of children with disabilities in sports and recreational activities promotes inclusion, minimizes deconditioning, optimizes physical functioning, and enhances overall well-being. Despite these benefits, children with disabilities are more restricted in their participation, have lower levels of fitness, and have […]
Behavioral health in developmental disabilities: a comprehensive program of nutrition, exercise, and weight reduction.
We review the literature on the prevalence and conditions resulting in overweight and obesity in people with intellectual disability (ID), followed by obesity treatment research with typically developing children and adaptations for children with ID. In addition to proposing directions for future research and practice, we report a comprehensive randomized control trial (RCT) of family-based […]
Weight loss and dietary improvements following the Healthy Lifestyle Change Program, a community-based intervention for adults with developmental disabilities
OBJECTIVE: People with developmental disabilities (DD) are at high risk for obesity due to inactivity, poor diet and medication effects.Our goal was to evaluate the effect of an intervention designed for adults with DD on weight loss and dietary habits. METHODS: A pre-post test design was used to evaluate the Healthy Lifestyle Change Program (HLCP), […]
Clinical assessment and management of obesity in individuals with spinal cord injury: a review.
BACKGROUND: Diagnosing and managing obesity in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) remain challenging. METHODS: Literature on the epidemiology, impact, and management of obesity in individuals with SCI was reviewed. FINDINGS: Although nearly 66% of individuals with SCI are either overweight or obese, little guidance is available to measure and monitor obesity in the clinical […]
Behavioral weight loss classes for patients with severe mental illness.
This is the first paragraph of the article: There is much skepticism and stigma about whether patients withsevere mental illness can participate in, understand, and benefitfrom a behavioral approach to weight loss. Many fitness programs,even those provided by medical facilities to their outpatientpopulation, exclude patients with severe mental illness. Thisleaves this population without a source […]
Physical activity among adults with a disability–United States, 2005.
The health benefits of physical activity have been well documented and are supported by recommendations from Healthy People 2010 (focus area 22); however, fewer than half of U.S. adults follow these recommendations. Physical inactivity is particularly prevalent among adults with a disability, who are at increased risk for functional limitations and secondary health conditions (e.g., […]