Nutrition Knowledge and Obesity of Adults in Community Residences

Variation in nutrition knowledge of adults with mild or moderate mental retardation (30 obese, 27 nonobese) from four community agencies was examined as a function of their body mass and level of mental retardation. They completed a nutrition knowledge test adapted for individuals with mental retardation. Multiple regression analyses revealed significant effects of level of mental retardation and body mass on nutrition knowledge. Adults with mild mental retardation possessed greater nutrition knowledge than did those with moderate mental retardation, and obese individuals possessed more knowledge than did nonobese individuals. The unexpected relation between nutrition knowledge and degree of obesity implies an influential role for environmental factors in the development of obesity.