An open study of the effectiveness of a multi-component weight-loss intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity.

Adults with intellectual disabilities experience high rates of obesity. Despite this higher risk, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of weight-loss interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity. The present study examined the effectiveness of the TAKE 5 multi-component weight-loss intervention. Adults with obesity were invited using specialist intellectual disability services to participate in the study. Obesity was defined as a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater. TAKE 5 included a daily energy-deficit diet of 2510 kJ (600 kcal), achieved via a personalised dietary prescription. Participants' body weight, BMI, waist circumference and levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured before and after the intervention. A total of fifty-four individuals consented to participate, of which forty-seven (87 %) completed the intervention in the study period. There was a significant decrease in body weight (mean difference - 4·47 (95 % CI - 5·91, - 3·03) kg; P < 0·0001), BMI (- 1·82 (95 % CI - 2·36, - 1·29) kg/m(2); P < 0·0001), waist circumference (- 6·29 (95 % CI - 7·85, - 4·73) cm; P < 0·0001) and daily sedentary behaviour of participants (- 41·40 (95 % CI - 62·45, - 20·35) min; P = 0·00 034). Of the participants who completed the intervention, seventeen (36·2 %) lost 5 % or more of their initial body weight. Findings from the study suggest that TAKE 5 is an effective weight-loss intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity. The effectiveness of TAKE 5 should be examined further in a controlled study.