Cooking Skills to Improve Long-Term Weight Loss in Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER · May 5, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at whether hands-on cooking classes can help young adults with intellectual disabilities lose weight and keep it off better than a regular weight loss program. The program, called Chef-ID, will last for 24 months and is divided into three parts: the first 6 months involve active support, the next 12 months focus on maintaining the weight loss, and the final 6 months will have no contact. Researchers will measure how much weight participants lose and track improvements in cooking skills, body fat, health markers like blood pressure and cholesterol, daily living skills, and stress levels in their caregivers.

To participate, individuals need to be between 18 and 35 years old, have a mild to moderate intellectual disability, and have a body mass index (BMI) over 24.9. They should also be able to follow directions and communicate their needs. Participants must live with someone who can help them with food-related tasks and agree to attend all required study visits over the 24 months. This study aims to find better ways to support healthy lifestyles for people with intellectual disabilities, and it will provide valuable insights into how cooking skills can impact overall health and weight management.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Diagnosis of mild-to-moderate intellectual disability (ID).
• • 2. 18-35 years of age.
• • 3. BMI \>24.9, Body weight \<350lbs.
• • 4. Sufficient functional ability to understand directions, communicate preferences, e.g., foods, wants, and can communicate through spoken language e.g., request more to eat/drink, asks for assistance with food preparation.
• • 5. Living at home with a parent/guardian, or in a supported living environment with a caregiver who assists with food shopping, meal planning, and meal preparation and agrees to serve as a study partner.
• • 6. Plan to attend all study required visits over the next 24 mos.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Unable to participate in PA.
• • 2. Insulin dependent diabetes as this condition requires medical monitoring beyond the scope of this study.
• • 3. Participation in a weight management program involving diet, PA, or pharmacotherapy in the past 6 mos.
• • 4. Diagnosis of Prader-Willi Syndrome.
• • 5. Pregnancy during the previous 6 mos., currently lactating or planned pregnancy in the following 24 mos. Participants who become pregnant will be removed from the study and referred to appropriate agencies for consultation.
• • 6. Serious medical risk, e.g., cancer, recent heart attack, stroke, angioplasty as determined by the PCP.
• • 7. Unwilling to be randomized.
• • 8. Unable to participate in small group, in-person instruction.
• • 9. Use of wheelchair or power chair as primary locomotion.