Changes in coronary heart disease risk profile of adults with intellectual disabilities following a physical activity intervention.
Three short group workouts each week sharply cut inactivity and lift fitness for adults with ID living in residential care.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Adults with intellectual disability living in group homes joined a 12-week exercise class. The class met three times a week for group-based physical activity. Researchers checked fitness and body fat before and after the program.
What they found
Inactivity dropped from 85% to 50%. Cardiorespiratory fitness went up and body fat went down. The simple schedule made a clear, positive change.
How this fits with other research
Diemer et al. (2023) ran a similar program but added random assignment and high-effort resistance work. Their adults gained even more strength and body-composition benefits, so the newer study now sets the bar.
Ogg-Groenendaal et al. (2014) pooled 20 exercise studies and saw about 30% less challenging behavior after any exercise plan. Moss (2009) did not track behavior, but the review shows the payoff could be bigger than fitness alone.
Bergström et al. (2013) blended caregiver study circles with step goals and saw 1,600 more steps per day. The 2009 program kept staff roles light; adding caregiver coaching might stretch the gains further.
Why it matters
You can run a three-day, staff-supervised exercise group and almost halve sedentary time in residential settings. Pair the schedule with caregiver prompts or high-effort resistance blocks shown in newer trials to boost strength and behavior gains while keeping the same simple routine.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity is one of the modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). With an increasing age profile and similar patterns of morbidity to the general population, persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) and their caregivers would benefit from data that indicate CHD risk factors. Knowledge of the CHD risk factors and the changes a physical activity intervention may have on theses risk factors will facilitate future intervention programmes. METHODS: A cohort of 100 men and women between the ages of 21 and 73 years with ID living in a community group home in the North-West Province of South Africa was recruited. A CHD risk profile was compiled by means of a questionnaire and physical assessment that included resting blood pressure, body mass index, non-fasting glucose and cholesterol and cardiorespiratory fitness. A 12-week physical activity intervention was then conducted 3 days/week after which the baseline measurements were repeated. RESULTS: The results indicated that 85% of the participants were inactive, while 67% were overweight and obese. Hypertension (6.1%) and smoking (6.1%) were relatively low in this population with ID. Glucose concentrations above the recommended cut-off values were observed in 28% of the participants. Total cholesterol concentrations above normal were measured in 23% of the participants. The physical activity intervention reduced inactivity to 50% and resulted in a significant increase in cardiorespiratory fitness and a decrease in percentage body fat in both men and women. CONCLUSION: Inactivity is a major risk factor in this population with ID living in a community group setting. The implementation of the physical activity intervention significantly reduced the risk factors for CHD.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2009 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2009.01187.x