| The present study assessed whether the atypical antipsychotic agents olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine are associated with significant weight gain among adults with intellectual disabilities after 6 months of drug treatment. The body weights of 79 participants were retrieved 6 months prior to the initiation of drug treatment, at the start of the atypical antipsychotic agent, and after 6 months of drug therapy. Each individual served as his or her own control by utilizing pretreatment baseline trends in weight change to calculate a dependent measure of adjusted posttreatment weight gain. Doing so allowed for a stringent determination of the liability for weight gain during drug treatment. Results indicated that olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine are each associated with significant weight gain after 6 months of drug treatment. Individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities evidenced more significant weight gain within that time period than those with severe to profound impairments. |
