Overweight and obesity in people with learning disabilities

Rates of obesity are higher in the learning disabled population that the general population.¹ The subsequent risks to health are greater in individuals with a learning disability, who may already have underlying health conditions, yet the uptake of health surveillance is lower than the general population.² Health professionals who come into contact with people with learning disabilities should be aware of these increased health risks and be able to offer advice on a healthy diet and make use of available easy read information. This article discusses the prevalence and risk of obesity in the learning disabled community and looks at simple weight assessment and advice for a healthy diet.