O6-03 Encouraging Healthy Weight for Adults with Learning Disabilities: Supporting the Role of Carers

Adults with learning disabilities die 20 years earlier than the general adult population with heart disease a main cause of avoidable deaths. Obesity, a key risk factor, is more prevalent in this group. Support from carers can be vital for adults with learning disabilities to engage with and maintain healthy behaviours, however, appropriate training for carers is lacking. This research aimed to develop free nationally available e-learning for carers on supporting healthy weight in adults with learning disabilities. Methods included: 1) Content analysis of key professional resources to promote healthy weight in people with learning disabilities, 2) Qualitative interviews with health and social care managers, clinical leads, and commissioners to identify carer barriers in supporting healthy weight in people with learning disabilities and areas of training need, 3) Qualitative interviews and focus groups with paid and unpaid carers to refine training content. Thematic analysis of interview and focus group transcripts was undertaken to identify key themes. Twenty-five individuals (social care n = 15, healthcare n = 5, family carer n = 3, public health professional n = 1, social enterprise staff n = 1) took part in 19 interviews and two focus groups. Carers were described as holding ‘a lot of power’ to demonstrate and support healthy behaviours. Key barriers included workforce pressures, carer beliefs, knowledge and skills related to healthy behaviours, habits around food as a reward, and perceived tensions between supporting choice and healthier behaviours. Carer training needs were categorised into three main areas forming the basis of e-learning sessions: 1) Understanding factors contributing to excess weight in people with learning disabilities, 2) Understanding the basics of healthy eating and physical activity recommendations, and 3) Understanding how to apply this knowledge when working with a person with a learning disability. The research team worked with a learning disability charity ‘experts by experience’ group to develop lived experience videos of individuals’ journeys towards healthier weight included within the e-learning. Carers play a key role in supporting healthy behaviours in people with learning disabilities. They face many barriers, however, which may include limited knowledge of obesity, nutrition and physical activity. National e-learning was developed from this research, available at: https://www.elfh.org.uk/programmes/supporting-healthy-weight-in-an-adultwith-a-learning-disability/

Citation

Coulman, K. D., Womack, J., Atkinson, C., Caffrey, B., Tavaré, A., Powell, N., ... & Owen-Smith, A. (2025). Encouraging healthy weight for adults with intellectual disabilities: supporting the role of carers. International Journal of Obesity. 49 (Suppl 1), 1–45 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-025-01880-9

DOI

10.1038/s41366-025-01880-9

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14709/1170

Usage rights

CC BY 4.0

License

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/