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About Obesity & Developmental Disabilities

The CDC reports that 17 percent of children younger than 18 in the US suffer from developmental disabilities while another 18 percent of adolescents, 15 percent of six to 11 year olds and 11 percent of two to five year olds suffer from obesity. The effect of development disabilities and obesity on each other is adverse.

  1. Obesity

    • Obesity is the excessive accumulation of fat.

      The World Health Organization defines obesity as an "abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that presents a risk to your health." Obesity can roughly be measured by calculating your Body Mass Index. If your BMI is more than 30, you are obese and if it is more than 25, you are overweight. For children, the CDC provides "BMI according to age" charts.

    Developmental Disabilities

    • Developmental disabilities can occur anytime before the age of 22 and last for a lifetime.

      Any physical or mental impairment which is caused by severe chronic conditions is a development disability, according to the CDC. They generally last a person's entire lifetime. The five main areas of development disabilities include hearing loss, autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy and vision impairment.

    Obesity In Children with Developmental Disabilities

    • Obese children are more likely to be obese adults.

      Children with developmental diseases are 40 percent more likely to be overweight and obese compared to the normal population, according to a study published in the Education Resources and Information Center. This makes them more prone to develop heart diseases as adults.

    Obesity In Adults with Developmental Disabilities

    • Dr. Nancy Sohler reported in a conference held by the American Public Health Association in November 2006, that obesity is a significant problem for people with developmental disabilities living in New York City. Prevention and management of obesity should thus be focused on people and children with developmental disabilities.

    Prevention and Management

    • Exercise can help prevent obesity.

      A low fat diet and physical activity are a must to prevent obesity, according to the Canadian Association Medical Journal. For those already suffering from obesity, the diet should contain 500 to 1,000 calories less than a regular diet and 30 minutes of exercise should be carried out at least three to five times a week. If this does not work, then severe measures like bariatric surgery may need to be taken.

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