Obesity Rates
The Journal of Preventative Medicine recently published a study that found that nearly 42.0% of American adults with disabilities are obese and 9.0% are extremely obese. Comparatively, the study stated that about 29.0% of adults without disabilities were obese, and 3.9% were extremely obese. This study’s findings on the obesity rates of adults with disabilities are much higher than previous estimates.
These findings on the prevalence of obesity among adults with all disabilities prompted us to look at what NCI data show regarding obesity specifically among the population of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For this blog, we examined data on body mass index (BMI) from the Adult Consumer Survey of 2011-12. The Adult Consumer Survey is a face-to-face interview with adults with IDD receiving state-funded services. The total sample was comprised of 10,147 adults from 29 states and 23 sub-state entities.
Information used to calculate the BMI of the individual being surveyed is collected in the background information section of the Adult Consumer Survey.
We use the following table from the CDC to categorize BMI. Please note that this categorization does not include the category: “extremely obese,” as was used in the study cited above:
|
BMI |
Weight Status |
|
Below 18.5 |
Underweight |
|
18.5-24.9 |
Normal |
|
25.0-29.9 |
Overweight |
|
30.0 and Above |
Obese |
The table below displays the findings from the Adult Consumer Survey:
|
|
Percent of Total |
|
Underweight |
9.3% |
|
Normal |
30.3% |
|
Overweight |
28.1% |
|
Obese |
32.3% |
As can be seen in the above table, 39.6% of the population surveyed was either underweight or normal weight. The majority, however, were overweight or obese (combined 60.4%).
The data are very interesting when examined by residence type.
|
|
Institution |
Community-based residence |
Independent home/apt |
Parent/relative’s home |
Foster care/host home |
|
Underweight |
8.6% |
6.6% |
8.0% |
12.3% |
10.3% |
|
Normal |
46.4% |
31.6% |
23.9% |
29.0% |
34.4% |
|
Overweight |
27.0% |
31.3% |
26.4% |
24.6% |
30.1% |
|
Obese |
17.9% |
30.5% |
41.6% |
34.0% |
25.2% |
As can be seen in the above table, almost 42.0% of individuals surveyed who lived in an independent home/apt were obese. Those living in a parent or relative’s home had a lower obesity rate (34.0%), followed by those living in community-based residences (30.5%). Individuals living in institutional settings had the lowest obesity rate at 17.9%. It is also worth noting that 12.3% of individuals living with a parent or relative were underweight.
It is important to remember that there are other factors (such as state, level of disability, type of disability, etc) besides type of living arrangement that may influence rates of obesity. We plan investigate these and other potential factors in a future NCI data brief.