Obesity and how it is pertains to developmental disabilities

Literature review

According to a study by the United States department of education conducted in 2007, the youth population with disabilities comprises about 9.2 % among the school going children (Rimmer et. al, 2013). According to this article, an analysis of the national survey data indicated that one third of 9th to 12th grade student who suffered from any form of physical or long terms disability was obese or overweight children with low mobility capacities had a higher likelihood to suffer from obesity as compared to their counterparts. After the study was carried out, the results showed that adolescents with autism and Down syndrome had a three times likelihood to suffer from obesity than those in the general population. It was also discovered that adolescents suffering obesity had other secondary conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, depression, fatigue, gall bladder problems, liver problems, low self-esteem, early maturation, preoccupation with weight as well as pressure scores.

In this study, the researchers concluded that, obesity is a great health problem in most of the youths suffering from intellectual developmental disabilities, as much as it is to those without any form of disability. However, the researchers also developed the thought that it poses a significantly larger problem to those with disabilities (Rimmer et. al, 2013). Obese youth suffering from intellectual developmental disabilities stand greater chance of suffering from other obesity related disorders. It is also noted that, this group is predisposed to greater health complications especially in their tradition to adulthood. It is therefore a recommendation that research institutions come up with interventions that can be relevant to youth who suffer from intellectual developmental disabilities (Rimmer et. al, 2013).

A high correlation coefficient has been established for the relationship that exists between obesity and developmental coordination disorder. According to an article by (Cairney et. al, 2013), the developmental coordination disorder is a problem that significantly affects about 5to 9% of all children in the entire united states. According to the authors, it is possible that the low levels of physical activity by children suffering from DCD can be attributed as a major cause of obesity or overweight. Additionally, the converse is also true. Obesity can be a cause of the developmental coordination disorder especially when it strikes at the early ages of a child’s life. In a study that engaged 578 children aged about 9-14 years, the relationship between DCD and obesity is determined. The criteria of choice is based on account of the age, gender, sex and their appropriate percentage body fat and Body mass index criteria. The results showed that for boys, DCD could be viewed as a significant risk factor for obesity in childhood and early stages of adolescence (Cairney et. al, 2013).

For the girls who participated in the study, there was no correlation between those who had the disorder and obesity. It is worth noting that, due to the physical less competence perception that children with DCD have about themselves, they are less likely to participate in the recreational or physical activities (Cairney et. al, 2013). Lack of Physical activity as a significant determinant to obesity; this group of children stand a higher chance of the risk. A significant relationship is thus established on the DCD as a major cause of obesity. The onset of obesity is the root of all other health related disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, depression and fatigue among others.

(De, Small and Baur, 2011) notes that, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is much higher among the children who suffer from developmental disabilities as compared to the general population. This is in agreement to the article by Rimmer and his colleagues. According to this article, it is worth noting that, the presence of the obesity as a major disorder among children who suffer from any form of developmental disability is a very complex addition to their complex medical needs. Sometimes, it acts as a gateway for more complicated disorders that make it hard for the patient to recover. The addition of extra eight also makes caregiving a difficult task on the part of the caregiver. Additionally, it makes the equipment needed for their care complicated to use where its available. The resource implications, according to the authors are also dire as significant resources have to be channeled to the disorder and related complications (De, Small and Baur, 2011). Healthcare delivery and training of health personal to deal with such complicated cases becomes hectic and hard to finance.

In a healthcare institution, there may be need to combine experts from different fields on a single patient making patient-doctor relationship impossible. This acts to the disadvantage of the patient as some of the experts may conflict in opinion or in technical details (De, Small and Baur, 2011). The authors associate obesity with a number of disorders among them: sleep disordered breathing hypertension, diabetes and other range of orthopedic complications. Stigmatization and bullying has also been associated with obesity. The authors note that children who suffer from developmental disabilities have difficulties in coexistence of certain genetic syndromes that are obesity related (De, Small and Baur, 2011). The findings of this research also offer a wider scope from the thought that, certain genetic syndromes, reduced physical activity and the use of medications such as anti-epileptics is a result of obesity.

Weight gain and obesity have been associated with the current medication that is used in the treatment of Fragile X syndrome. It is thus imperative that Fragile X syndrome is an indirect cause of obesity and to some extent; it contributes to the current levels as people try to fight its severity. Unfortunately, the cure that is available, or the remedies that are available for the same have effects on cognition and behavior too. (McLennan, Polussa, Tassone and Hagerman, 2011) notes that, substantive studies are being carried out in major research institutions to come with a weight loss formula through the mGluR antagonists. The authors note that obesity is a condition that has been recorded alongside other Fragile X syndrome cases. This, according to them can be evidenced by the molecular overlap between the fragile X syndrome and other obesity related syndromes such as the Prader-Willi Syndrome. According to a survey that was conducted for the sake of this research, 718 children were used and the results revealed that male children with the Fragile X syndrome condition had a higher likelihood of obesity prevalence to a percentage of 31% (McLennan, Polussa, Tassone and Hagerman, 2011). This was in comparison to an age matched control population. It is important to note that the research article offered us significant impact where the author notes that, Fragile X syndrome is the single most contributor of inherited intellectual disability. According to this article, it is also the most single known cause of gene causation for autism.

Studies have showed that children who suffer from downs syndrome require much less calories as compared to their normal counterparts of the same age. The low levels of calcium, vitamin A and dietary fiber that have been recorded for this group have been blamed for the low bone density in the later years of life (Samarkandy, Mohamed and Al-Hamdan, 2012). However, this study came up with significantly reliable results on the relationship between obesity and downs syndrome. The conclusion of the article is that obesity is a permanent feature among ten children who are diagnosed with Down syndrome in Saudi Arabia.

Downs syndrome is associated with mental and growth retardation (Samarkandy, Mohamed and Al-Hamdan, 2012). This is the case due to anomalies that arise from genetic compositions. Feeding difficulties have been identified as a result of the syndrome. Children who have been diagnosed with this illness take inappropriate nutrition and in most instances, avoid fiber diets making them vulnerable to disorders such as obesity. The Down syndrome patients have been known to have a high carbohydrate intake due to their appetite for easy-to–chew starch. In most instances, this group is often rewarded with sweets or simple starch for good behavior. The level of vitamin A intake is also limited from the fact that they have a weak preference for fruit and vegetables due to the disorder (Samarkandy, Mohamed and Al-Hamdan, 2012). Additionally, they have a tendency to reject vegetables completely. The consumption of excessive carbohydrate leads to obesity especially where the rate of consumption is not checked. The onset of obesity later leads to chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes type 2, cardio vascular diseases and in some instances even stroke.

According to an article by (Halgren, et. al, 2012), patients suffering from cerebral palsy have a higher rate of developing obesity due to their nutritional insufficiency. It is imperative that in this article, obesity is caused by or come as a result of the effects of the cerebral palsy disorder. In this study, the scholars aimed at examining the vitamin D level in adults suffering from cerebral palsy. Vitamin D has been known to pay an important role in the body. This is in the light that it is a significant contributor to the cardio-metabolic and musculoskeletal health. Further studies have revealed that the optimal level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(25(oh)D) may be insufficient and this led to no-optimal bone formation (Halgren, et. al, 2014).

Emerging evidence on the same field of study has also linked the low levels of vitamin D to a host of obesity related comorbid conditions. Among the conditions covered we have the metabolic syndrome, the coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia and diabetes among others. In a study was carried out to patients over 18years admitted at the Michigan university hospital, the results indicted a strong causative effect on obesity from the patients suffering from cerebral palsy (Halgren, et. al, 2014).

Studies conducted in different countries have indicated that obesity is more prevalent among people with an intellectual disability. The rates have been known to range from about 28-59%. In a study that investigated the body mass index in an Australian sample suffering from intellectual disability the correlation between BM<I and PBF was recorded as r=.89. This is a very high percentage. For females who participated in the survey, 36.6% women were recorded as obese, and 30.8% males recorded as obese. This strongly supported the earlier premise that people with intellectual disabilities have much more higher chances of suffering from obesity among other disorders.

The study of obesity among people suffering from intellectual disabilities has also been conducted overseas. Wallen and Roszkowski in 1980 came up with the results that 33% of their sample of adults especially those with mild to moderate level of disability had been overweight. According to their thought, they suggested that the registered high levels of obesity might be attributed to the syndromes such as downs syndrome Prader-Willi, carpenter or moon-Beidl syndromes. This forms a good supporting frame for our earlier articles. They all seem to converge on a positive correlation between obesity and the various developmental disabilities.

People with developmental disabilities have higher levels of obesity than people without, Agrees (NCBDDD Atlanta, 2010). The Body mass index is the measured to measure obesity. In this study, the levels of obesity stood at 36% for adults who suffer from a disability while it stood out at 23% for those who did not have any form of disability. Among children, 22% of the obese children had disabilities while 16% of the obese children population did not have any form of disability (NCBDDD Atlanta, 2010). According to the authors, some of the issue that contribute to the high chances of obesity for those with disabilities include: a lack of food choices, difficulty in chewing and sometimes swallowing food that make them opt for manufacture food that are easy to eat. Medications given for their specific disabilities could also lead to the conditions. This can also be accompanied by weight loss or a change in appetite due to the body’s reaction to the drugs. Physical limitation is also major problem as they may tend to be unable to undertake physical exercises from burn out. Most of them may even result to binge eating hence render themselves victims of obesity (NCBDDD Atlanta, 2010). Another major reason could be pain. Stress arising from pain could lead to a person with disability eating too much as way to relieve stress. Lack of energy is also another cause of obesity. Additionally, the lack of an appropriate or enabling environment example parks is also a problem as they cannot exercise. Lack of resources such as transoporta6tion means, money or social support could also lead to such tendencies.

According to another study carried out by (Crisham et. al, 2013), there is a significant correlation between obesity and cerebral palsy as one of the developmental disorders we have. In a study carried out in California among 6.2 million births recorded for the period 1991 to 2001, 1.1% of the mothers were diagnosed as obese while 0.1 were diagnosed with morbid obesity. They were said to have much higher chances that their children suffered from cerebral palsy. In a research that took care of the scopes of race, ethnicity, prenatal care and education among other factors, the results yielded showed that obesity was independently associated with cerebral palsy (Crisham et. al, 2013). It is important to note that the concluding system to this article concludes that maternal obesity contributed significantly to the chances that a child might be born suffering from cerebral palsy.

Some of the current diagnostic procedures that are used on the identification of these conditions include the use of the body mass index. This is a procedure that involves the calculation of the weight of a person per cubic meter. Adults with a BMI ranging 25 and 29.9 are considered to be overweight while those with higher are considered obese. However, there has been arguments that BMI can yield biased estimates as it may tend to underestimate the amount of fat in a person’s body. This is the case especially where we have a person suffering from spinal cord injuries.