Improving food choices and nutrient adequacy in adolescents/young adults with developmental disabilities

Persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (DD) have higher incidences of overweight and obesity than the general population and are currently underserved in health promotion programs. Restricted diets due to sensory sensitivity and physiological difference are often followed by persons with DD resulting in nutrient inadequacies, which may contribute to overweight and obesity. Closing the gap of healthcare disparities for persons with DD must start by increasing awareness of factors causing overweight and obesity, and development of strategies and programs to reduce incidences of overweight and obesity for persons with DD.

To investigate if implementation of an appropriately planned nutrition education program resulted in changes in food choices that improve the nutrient adequacy of the diet as a method of combatting or controlling incidences of obesity and overweight in persons with DD.

Pre-study, post-intervention questionnaires were administered to assess participants' nutritional needs, aid in program design, and evaluate program appropriateness. Parental group discussions and nutrition education lessons were conducted over a 6-week period. Three-day food logs were collected and analyzed pre-study and post-intervention using the National Cancer Institute's ASA24-2014 software.

Results showed reductions of intake of fat, saturated fat, sodium, and sugar, and increases in intake of fiber, Vitamins A, C, and D, but there were no statistically significant differences from pre-study to post-intervention for any nutrient at the p < 0.05 level except cholesterol.

Qualitative data indicated program success; changes in nutrient intake were insignificant, supporting the need for further research in this area.