Health characteristics and behaviors of adults with mental retardation residing in three living arrangements.
Adults with ID in group and family homes show poorer health habits than those in institutions, so target movement and preventative care in community settings.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Rimmer et al. (1995) compared health in three living places for adults with intellectual disability. They looked at body fat, blood lipids, and daily habits like exercise and diet.
The study used surveys and medical checks. It wanted to see if institutions, group homes, or family homes gave the best health.
What they found
Adults in big institutions had leaner bodies and better blood tests. Yet they lived in poorer, more crowded settings.
Adults in group homes had the worst health habits. They smoked more, moved less, and ate fewer fruits and vegetables.
How this fits with other research
Mount et al. (2011) looked at 18 European countries and found the same mixed picture. Community homes lag on basic care like flu shots and cancer screens, even 15 years later.
Laxton et al. (2026) used wearable trackers and showed group-home adults sit almost 8 hours a day. This explains why their health habits look poor.
Zuriff (2005) in Northern England also saw more obesity and inactivity in supported housing. The pattern repeats across two continents.
Why it matters
Place shapes health. When you assess an adult with ID, note where they live and how much they sit. Build movement into daily routines: walk to the mailbox, stand while folding laundry, dance during TV ads. Ask doctors for a yearly health checklist if the person just left an institution. Small habit changes beat big system fixes.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Three hundred and twenty-nine subjects (aged 17-70 years) residing in an institution (N = 184), group home (N = 39), or with one or more family members (N = 106) were evaluated on body composition, blood lipids, and health behaviors. Subjects in the institutional group had lower body weights than those in the group home and natural family settings (p < .001) and also had lower BMIs and percent body fat levels compared to those in the natural family (p < .001). The institutional group also had lower total cholesterol and LDL-C levels than the group home and natural family groups (p < .001) and lower TG and ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-C than the natural family group (p < .01). Although overall use was quite limited, residents in the group home setting smoked more cigarettes, drank more alcohol and coffee, and exercised less than those in the institution and natural family (p < .001). Group home residents also exercised less. Health promotion and disease prevention initiatives for persons with mental retardation living in group homes, in supported living placements, and with their natural families should be undertaken and carefully evaluated.
Research in developmental disabilities, 1995 · doi:10.1016/0891-4222(95)00033-x