By
Amee LaTour
Approximately 54 million Americans suffer from at least one
disability; that's about 1/6 of the population. People with disabilities
face a number of challenges, from everyday activity limitations to
psychological distress. According to new research, people with a
disability are at increased risk for additional chronic conditions due
to a high prevalence of obesity among this demographic.
It's largely known that 1/3 of Americans are obese. Obesity greatly increases your risk of a number of serious conditions, including chronic back pain, arthritis, heart disease, some cancers and type 2 diabetes. These conditions greatly exacerbate the regular challenges of having a disability. A new study out of The University of Texas School of Public Health shows that obesity is more prevalent among Americans with a disability, with approximately 42% affected.
In a sense, this result is not surprising. People with a disability generally have activity limitations that interfere with exercise. These limitations range from being confined to a wheelchair to restricted movement from back pain. The situation is not hopeless; there are steps people with disabilities can take to maintain or achieve a healthy weight even with activity restrictions.
1. Get Creative About Movement
There's no general prescription for exercise with a disability as there is a broad range of disabilities, each one with a unique set of restrictions. However, there are a few common methods for getting around limitations.
For people with chronic pain or those who have a hard time exercising due to being overweight, water exercise is often ideal. Water takes weight off your joints while providing resistance to give you both a strength-building and cardiovascular workout.
For people with severe movement restrictions, such as those in wheelchairs, the important thing to emphasize is the parts of your body you can still move. Unless you're paralyzed from the neck down, there's a way for you to exercise. You may want to pursue upper body workouts from home using ideas from videos like the one at http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=bvE0uQRM5-A, or you may want to join a seated volleyball or basketball team. Working with a physical therapist can be immensely helpful for people with severe activity limitations; these professionals are trained to help people optimize their functionality, working within whatever restrictions are present.
2. Decrease Caloric Intake
Most of the time, calories are at the heart of obesity. We get these energy units from food and, ideally, burn them with little left over. When caloric intake exceeds caloric metabolization on a regular basis, excess weight results.
Even with creative exercising, you may not be burning the same number of calories you would be without your disability. It's a good idea to work with a nutritionist to calculate the number of calories your body needs for its unique activity level. You won't need to starve yourself; you may just need to make a few adjustments to your diet (or a lot, if your diet is very poor) to create a better balance between caloric intake and use.
3. Consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In some cases, disability can impact a person's activity level on a more psychological than physical level. Fears of worsened pain and exaggerated beliefs about limitations are both common and understandable among those with a disability. Psychological interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy can help patients attain a more accurate conception of their abilities. Seeking psychological treatment doesn't mean that the pain is "all in your head" or that something is "wrong" with you; it just means that you're willing to cover all your bases.
For more on the obesity study referenced above, see http://www.uthouston.edu/media/story.htm?id=89633318-dc53-45ca-89f5-d780d1625b36.
Having one disability is hard enough. Decrease your chances of developing further health problems by taking steps to manage weight.
It's largely known that 1/3 of Americans are obese. Obesity greatly increases your risk of a number of serious conditions, including chronic back pain, arthritis, heart disease, some cancers and type 2 diabetes. These conditions greatly exacerbate the regular challenges of having a disability. A new study out of The University of Texas School of Public Health shows that obesity is more prevalent among Americans with a disability, with approximately 42% affected.
In a sense, this result is not surprising. People with a disability generally have activity limitations that interfere with exercise. These limitations range from being confined to a wheelchair to restricted movement from back pain. The situation is not hopeless; there are steps people with disabilities can take to maintain or achieve a healthy weight even with activity restrictions.
1. Get Creative About Movement
There's no general prescription for exercise with a disability as there is a broad range of disabilities, each one with a unique set of restrictions. However, there are a few common methods for getting around limitations.
For people with chronic pain or those who have a hard time exercising due to being overweight, water exercise is often ideal. Water takes weight off your joints while providing resistance to give you both a strength-building and cardiovascular workout.
For people with severe movement restrictions, such as those in wheelchairs, the important thing to emphasize is the parts of your body you can still move. Unless you're paralyzed from the neck down, there's a way for you to exercise. You may want to pursue upper body workouts from home using ideas from videos like the one at http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=bvE0uQRM5-A, or you may want to join a seated volleyball or basketball team. Working with a physical therapist can be immensely helpful for people with severe activity limitations; these professionals are trained to help people optimize their functionality, working within whatever restrictions are present.
2. Decrease Caloric Intake
Most of the time, calories are at the heart of obesity. We get these energy units from food and, ideally, burn them with little left over. When caloric intake exceeds caloric metabolization on a regular basis, excess weight results.
Even with creative exercising, you may not be burning the same number of calories you would be without your disability. It's a good idea to work with a nutritionist to calculate the number of calories your body needs for its unique activity level. You won't need to starve yourself; you may just need to make a few adjustments to your diet (or a lot, if your diet is very poor) to create a better balance between caloric intake and use.
3. Consider Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In some cases, disability can impact a person's activity level on a more psychological than physical level. Fears of worsened pain and exaggerated beliefs about limitations are both common and understandable among those with a disability. Psychological interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy can help patients attain a more accurate conception of their abilities. Seeking psychological treatment doesn't mean that the pain is "all in your head" or that something is "wrong" with you; it just means that you're willing to cover all your bases.
For more on the obesity study referenced above, see http://www.uthouston.edu/media/story.htm?id=89633318-dc53-45ca-89f5-d780d1625b36.
Having one disability is hard enough. Decrease your chances of developing further health problems by taking steps to manage weight.
Education in back pain is the cheapest form of self-preservation. Learn about what causes back pain and 4 things that cause sciatic nerve pain.
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