There have been few published controlled studies of multi-component weight management programmes that include an energy deficit diet (EDD), for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity. The objective of this study was to conduct a single-blind, cluster randomised controlled trial comparing a multi-component weight management programme to a health education programme. Participants were randomised to either TAKE 5, which included an EDD or Waist Winners Too (WWToo), based on health education principles. Outcomes measured at baseline, 6 months (after a weight loss phase) and 12 months (after a 6-month weight maintenance phase), by a researcher blinded to treatment allocation, included: weight; BMI; waist circumference; physical activity; sedentary behaviour and health-related quality of life. The recruitment strategy was effective with fifty participants successfully recruited. Both programmes were acceptable to adults with intellectual disabilities, evidenced by high retention rates (90 %). Exploratory efficacy analysis revealed that at 12 months there was a trend for more participants in TAKE 5 (50·0 %) to achieve a clinically important weight loss of 5–10 %, in comparison to WWToo (20·8 %) (OR 3·76; 95 % CI 0·92, 15·30; 0·064). This study found that a multi-component weight management programme that included an EDD, is feasible and an acceptable approach to weight loss when tailored to meet the needs of adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity.

Adults with intellectual disabilities experience high rates of obesity. Despite this higher risk, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of weight-loss interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity. The present study examined the effectiveness of the TAKE 5 multi-component weight-loss intervention. Adults with obesity were invited using specialist intellectual disability services to participate in the study. Obesity was defined as a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater. TAKE 5 included a daily energy-deficit diet of 2510 kJ (600 kcal), achieved via a personalised dietary prescription. Participants' body weight, BMI, waist circumference and levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured before and after the intervention. A total of fifty-four individuals consented to participate, of which forty-seven (87 %) completed the intervention in the study period. There was a significant decrease in body weight (mean difference − 4·47 (95 % CI − 5·91, − 3·03) kg; P < 0·0001), BMI ( − 1·82 (95 % CI − 2·36, − 1·29) kg/m2; P < 0·0001), waist circumference ( − 6·29 (95 % CI − 7·85, − 4·73) cm; P < 0·0001) and daily sedentary behaviour of participants ( − 41·40 (95 % CI − 62·45, − 20·35) min; P = 0·00 034). Of the participants who completed the intervention, seventeen (36·2 %) lost 5 % or more of their initial body weight. Findings from the study suggest that TAKE 5 is an effective weight-loss intervention for adults with intellectual disabilities and obesity. The effectiveness of TAKE 5 should be examined further in a controlled study.