Following up Fighting Fit: the long-term impact of health practitioner input on obesity and BMI amongst adults with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- CHAPMAN Melanie J., CRAVEN Michael J., CHADWICK Darren D.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 12(4), December 2008, pp.309-323.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
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 baseline, 6 months, 1 year and 6 years. Mean BMI for the input group reduced steadily over 6 years. Mean BMI in the non-input group rose initially, stabilized and then decreased (although remaining higher than at baseline). The input group demonstrated improvements in obesity levels and lost more weight than the non-input group. However, the differences between groups did not reach statistical significance. This and the improvements in BMI within the non-input group may be due to the relatively small sample size, effect size and the impact of other local initiatives.
- Subject terms:
- intervention, learning disabilities, obesity, health education;
- Content type:
- research
- Location(s):
- United Kingdom
- Link:
- Journal home page
- ISSN online:
- 1744-6309
- ISSN print:
- 1744-6295