Effects of obesity on balance in people with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Background/aim: To know the differences in balance of people with intellectual disability with and without obesity.

Method: 549 people with intellectual disability were evaluated. Participants were categorized as obese or non-obese according to their body mass index. All participants were evaluated with tests for static and semi-static balance.

Results: There were significant differences in the static balance between obese and non-obese people with intellectual disability. For women, there were not significant differences for any tests; in contrast for men, there were only significant differences in the SLSCE in people aged 37-46 years.

Conclusions: Significant differences were found in static balance between non-obese and obese people. In the analyses, in consideration of gender and age range, significant differences were only found in one static balance test, in the young adult men´s group. No significant differences were found in women, either in middle-aged adults or in older adults.

Keywords: balance; intellectual disability; obesity; physical fitness.