Obesity Treatment in Children with Intellectual Impairment: Outcome of a Multidisciplinary Inpatient Program

Background: Obesity is common in children and adolescents with intellectual impairment. In this study the effects of an inpatient multidisciplinary weight control program on BMI-SDS, body weight and BMI in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity and intellectual impairment with or without behavioural problems were evaluated. Methods: 101 overweight and obese children/adolescents with intellectual impairment with or without behavioural problems that were referred to an inpatient obesity treatment programme were included. The treatment was planned to last 9 months, but could be shortened or extended on an individual basis (mean 355 d, range 95 to 761 d). Data on age, sex, height, body weight and BMI were collected at entry and at the end of treatment. Results: Initial BMI-SDS was 3.9 ± 0.9 (range 2.0 to 8.4). BMI-SDS was reduced by -1.4 ± 0.7 (P<0.001). Age, gender and the presence of psychiatric disorders did not affect treatment outcome. Being of non-Dutch ethnic origin had a negative effect on the change in BMI-SDS (P=0.029) and longer treatment duration was associated with a larger reduction in BMI-SDS (P=0.002). Conclusions: The treatment program was effective in obtaining substantial and clinically relevant weight reduction in an inpatient setting in children with intellectual impairment with or without behavioural/psychiatric problems with different causes of obesity.