The prevalence and risk factors of the metabolic syndrome in inpatients with intellectual disability.
Nearly half of inpatients with ID and behavioral problems have metabolic syndrome—monitor antipsychotic prescriptions and nutrition closely.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Doctors checked the adults with intellectual disability who lived in a psychiatric hospital. They used simple blood tests, waist size, and blood-pressure cuffs to see who had metabolic syndrome.
The team also recorded each person's medicines, age, and how well they ate.
What they found
Almost half—46 %—met the cut-off for metabolic syndrome. The biggest red flags were large waistlines, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.
People taking antipsychotics, those over 40, and anyone with poor nutrition had the highest risk.
How this fits with other research
Hsieh et al. (2009) saw the same group—adults with ID in nursing homes—and found smaller, more social homes cut 10-year death rates. Both papers point to the same lesson: where and how clients live shapes their health.
Beaulieu et al. (2013) showed community adults with ID who were overweight ate too few fruits and whole grains. Petrovic et al. (2016) now adds that poor nutrition inside hospitals also drives metabolic syndrome, so the diet problem spans every setting.
Lippold et al. (2009) proved sleep can be fixed without pills in the same residential units. B et al. remind us that antipsychotics, unlike sleep plans, are a pill we can reduce when not needed.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with ID in any facility, assume half already have or are on the path to metabolic syndrome. Ask the doctor to review every antipsychotic at each team meeting. Add a 30-minute nutrition check to the annual physical: count fruit, vegetable, and soda servings the same way you count behaviors. These two quick actions—pill review and food log—can prevent diabetes and heart disease more cheaply than treating them later.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence and influencing factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) and behavioural problems in a Dutch special healthcare institution. METHODS: This observational study was conducted from medical records of physical examinations, laboratory results, medication (history), ethnicity and length of stay, as well as from questionnaires about lifestyle and smoking habits. MetS was defined by using the criteria of the 2009 consensus guidelines. The questions in this study were about the prevalence of MetS over a 1-year period and exploration of the differences between the people with and without MetS to determine the factors associated with it. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of MetS in the selected population of people with IDs and behavioural problems was 46%. The factors 'use of conventional antipsychotics', 'age', and a ' low nutrition score' increased the risk of developing MetS. Together, these variables determine 19% of the variance in the incidence of MetS. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates a firm prevalence of MetS in a vulnerable population, whereby a minority of contributing factors was determined. Professionals should be particularly alert during the provision of antipsychotics, diet and exercise habits to prevent MetS when treating people with IDs and behavioural problems, and further studies are needed to explore the factors that contribute to the nascence and prevalence of MetS.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2016 · doi:10.1111/jir.12282