Obesity in an Institutionalised Adult Mentally Retarded Population

The frequency of obesity, as defined by standards based on triceps skinfold, and selected body measurements are reported in an institutionalised adult mentally retarded population. Among 161 adults, aged eighteen to seventy-three years, twenty-two out of 108 males (20.4 per cent) and nine out of fifty-three females (17.0 per cent) were obese. These findings suggest that obesity is a significant health-related problem in institutionalised retarded adults. Although differences were not statistically significant, the frequency of obesity was higher in moderately retarded than in mildly or severely retarded residents. Further surveys are needed of larger samples, along with studies of possible contributory factors (e.g., dietary habits and level of physical activity).