Systematic Review of Weight Management Interventions for Adults with Intellectual Disability: Effectiveness and Key Characteristics.
1
Faculty of Health, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin Univeristy, Melbourne, Australia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Adults with intellectual disability experience disproportionately high rates of obesity, driven by complex interactions between individual, social, and environmental factors. Although multiple interventions have been developed over the past two decades, previous reviews (published 2011–2018, with studies included up to 2015) concluded that long-term weight loss was limited. An updated synthesis is required to guide future intervention design and policy.
AIM:
To systematically review the characteristics and effectiveness of interventions aimed at weight loss or weight-gain prevention among adults with intellectual disability.
METHODS:
A systematic search of PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SocIndex, and Academic Search Complete identified peer-reviewed studies published from 2000 onwards. Eligible studies involved adults with intellectual disability and reported outcomes related to weight, BMI, waist circumference, or obesity-related behaviours. Surgical and pharmacological studies were excluded. Screening followed PRISMA guidelines and quality appraisal used the EPHPP tool. Heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes prevented meta-analysis; a narrative synthesis was completed. The protocol was registered with OSF.
RESULTS:
Forty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most were interrupted time series designs (60.4%), short in duration (≤6 months), and conducted in the United States (50%). Interventions targeted physical activity alone (37.5%), diet alone (14.6%), or combined physical activity and diet (37.5%). Twenty-nine studies reported positive outcomes, predominantly physical activity-only or multi-component interventions, while diet-only approaches yielded mostly null effects. All moderate-quality studies (n=10), including all randomised controlled trials, reported positive outcomes. No study reported negative effects. Effective interventions commonly incorporated caregiver involvement or group delivery.
CONCLUSIONS:
Methodological limitations, including small samples, inconsistent outcome measures, and limited follow-up, restrict conclusions about long-term effectiveness. Multi-component interventions involving others show the strongest evidence of effectiveness. Improving study quality and long-term sustainability remain critical priorities.
Adults with intellectual disability experience disproportionately high rates of obesity, driven by complex interactions between individual, social, and environmental factors. Although multiple interventions have been developed over the past two decades, previous reviews (published 2011–2018, with studies included up to 2015) concluded that long-term weight loss was limited. An updated synthesis is required to guide future intervention design and policy.
AIM:
To systematically review the characteristics and effectiveness of interventions aimed at weight loss or weight-gain prevention among adults with intellectual disability.
METHODS:
A systematic search of PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SocIndex, and Academic Search Complete identified peer-reviewed studies published from 2000 onwards. Eligible studies involved adults with intellectual disability and reported outcomes related to weight, BMI, waist circumference, or obesity-related behaviours. Surgical and pharmacological studies were excluded. Screening followed PRISMA guidelines and quality appraisal used the EPHPP tool. Heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes prevented meta-analysis; a narrative synthesis was completed. The protocol was registered with OSF.
RESULTS:
Forty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most were interrupted time series designs (60.4%), short in duration (≤6 months), and conducted in the United States (50%). Interventions targeted physical activity alone (37.5%), diet alone (14.6%), or combined physical activity and diet (37.5%). Twenty-nine studies reported positive outcomes, predominantly physical activity-only or multi-component interventions, while diet-only approaches yielded mostly null effects. All moderate-quality studies (n=10), including all randomised controlled trials, reported positive outcomes. No study reported negative effects. Effective interventions commonly incorporated caregiver involvement or group delivery.
CONCLUSIONS:
Methodological limitations, including small samples, inconsistent outcome measures, and limited follow-up, restrict conclusions about long-term effectiveness. Multi-component interventions involving others show the strongest evidence of effectiveness. Improving study quality and long-term sustainability remain critical priorities.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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