Disability Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP) |
The Disability Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP) titled Reducing Obesity and Obesity-Related Secondary Conditions in Adolescents with Disabilities is a 3-year center grant funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), James H. Rimmer, Principal Investigator.
The DRRP consists of three projects:
- R1=development and dissemination of a national survey for adolescents with disabilities and their parents to determine antecedents and consequences of obesity and to investigate how these factors might differ from non-disabled populations;
- R2=evaluation of the validity and utility of an alternative approach for establishing more accurate cutoff points for overweight and obesity in adolescents with disabilities who are wheelchair users;
- R3=development of a pilot intervention using an innovative personalized exercise and nutrition program (PEP-for-Youth) for managing obesity among youth with physical and developmental disabilities.
New Report on Obesity and Disability
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James H. Rimmer, Edward Wang, Kiyoshi Yamaki, and Brienne Davis. 'Documenting Disparities in Obesity and Disability',
FOCUS, Technical Brief NO. 24 2010 |
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Recent Findings
Analyses of data from six hundred and sixty-two parents who responded to the first national online survey focusing on the health of adolescents with disabilities, “Health and Lifestyles of Youth with Disabilities,” showed that there are substantial health disparities between youth with and without disabilities, as noted by the prevalence of higher rates of obesity and secondary/chronic health conditions in youth with disabilities. Overall prevalence of obese youth with disabilities was 17.5% compared to 13.0% for youth without disabilities. Ambulatory youth with disabilities had a significantly higher rate of obesity compared to non-ambulatory youth (21.1% vs. 10.1%). 71.6% of youth reported having at least one secondary condition. Common secondary conditions included gastrointestinal diseases, asthma, depression, low self-esteem, and fatigue. Obese/overweight youth with disabilities tended to report a higher prevalence of secondary conditions compared to healthy weight youth regardless of their ambulatory status.
Funding
The Disability Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP) on Obesity and Secondary Conditions in Youth with Disabilities at the University of Illinois at Chicago is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) (Grant #H133A060066) at the U.S. Department of Education, and operates in partnership with Shriners Hospitals for Children and six national disability organizations (Easter Seals, United Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida Association, the Arc, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, and Blaze Sports America).
