Obesity Prevention in Youth with Developmental Disabilities
Summary
Youth with developmental disabilities represent a population at elevated risk of obesity due to a convergence of factors including reduced mobility, atypical metabolic profiles and social barriers to healthy lifestyles. Prevention strategies must therefore be tailored to cognitive and physical abilities, family dynamics and service environments. Approaches combining adapted nutritional guidance, accessible physical activity and caregiver education have shown promise in promoting energy balance, improving body composition and enhancing quality of life. Emerging research emphasises the need for multidisciplinary collaborations across paediatric care, rehabilitation services and educational settings to address behavioural, environmental and physiological contributors. Globally, culturally sensitive interventions that engage families, leverage assistive technologies and integrate telehealth platforms are gaining momentum. A focus on early identification of risk and individualised support plans is critical for mitigating long-term cardiometabolic consequences and reducing health inequities in this vulnerable group.
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Obesity Prevention in Youth with Developmental Disabilities publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in obesity prevention in youth with developmental disabilities across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Body Mass Index (BMI): A ratio of weight to height squared, used to classify underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity.
Central adiposity: Accumulation of fat in the abdominal region, often assessed by waist circumference or waist-to-height ratio.
Developmental disabilities: A diverse group of chronic conditions due to mental or physical impairments that emerge during developmental periods.
Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE): The sum of calories expended through basal metabolic processes, physical activity and dietary thermogenesis over 24 hours.
Doubly labelled water: A validated method for measuring energy expenditure in free-living individuals by tracking isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in body fluids.
References
- Cardiovascular risk profiles clusters among children and adolescents with disabilities. BMC Public Health (2023).
- Anthropometric Profile, Overweight/Obesity Prevalence, and Socioeconomic Impact in Moroccan Children Aged 6–12 Years Old with Autism Spectrum Disorder. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2024).
- Energy expenditure and weight-related behaviors in youth with Down syndrome: a protocol. Frontiers in Pediatrics (2023).
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