The Feasibility of University Adapted Physical Activity and Nutrition Education for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Keywords:
Adapted Physical Education, Physical Literacy, Health Literacy, AttitudeAbstract
Purpose: A high prevalence of chronic conditions is well documented in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of a university adapted physical activity (APA) program with nutrition focused health education for college students with ID.
Methods: Nine students with ID and three activity partners participated for a 50-min session of the APA and another 50-min session of nutrition education each week for 12 weeks. Measures of behavioral outcomes were tested before and after the program. Evaluation notes were gained after the program.
Learning Outcomes: Students reported more positive attitudes and beliefs about exercise after the program due to learning new sports skills, training, and making new friends. It is also important, however, to note the limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on opportunities for physical activity and food preparation. Thus, more perceived barriers and no changes in exercise self-efficacy were noted.
Conclusion: This study provides a sample protocol and curriculum within a university setting, particularly since preliminary outcomes showed positive attitudes and beliefs as reported by the participants. This study also provides possible steps that educators can take to plan and implement their own programs for adults with ID.
Downloads
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Bazzano, A.T., Zeldin, A.S., Diab, I.R.S., Garro, N.M., Allevato, N.A., Lehrer, D. & Team, W.P.O. (2009). The Healthy Lifestyle Change Program: a pilot of a community-based health promotion intervention for adults with developmental disabilities. American journal of preventive medicine, 37(6), S201-S208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2009.08.005
Bergström, H., Elinder, L. S. & Wihlman, U. (2014). Barriers and facilitators in health education for adults with intellectual disabilities—a qualitative study. Health Education Research, 29(2), 259-271. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyt111
Bodde, A.E., Seo, D.C., Frey, G.C., Van Puymbroeck, M. & Lohrmann, D.K. (2012). The effect of a designed health education intervention on physical activity knowledge and participation of adults with intellectual disabilities. American Journal of Health Promotion, 26(5), 313-316. https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.100408-ARB-112
Dairo, Y.M., Collett, J., Dawes, H., & Oskrochi, G.R. (2016). Physical activity levels in adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review. Preventive medicine reports, 4, 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.06.008
De Winter, C.F., Bastiaanse, L.P., Hilgenkamp, T.I.M., Evenhuis, H.M. & Echteld, M.A. (2012). Cardiovascular risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and metabolic syndrome) in older people with intellectual disability: results of the HA-ID study. Research in developmental disabilities, 33(6), 1722-1731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2012.04.010
Di Bartolomeo, G. & Papa, S. (2019). The effects of physical activity on social interactions: The case of trust and trustworthiness. Journal of Sports Economics, 20(1), 50-71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527002517717299
Ewing, G., McDermott, S., Thomas-Koger, M., Whitner, W. & Pierce, K. (2004). Evaluation of a cardiovascular health program for participants with mental retardation and normal learners. Health Education & Behavior, 31(1), 77-87. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198103259162
Graham, H. (2005). Intellectual disabilities and socioeconomic inequalities in health: An overview of research. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 18(2), 101-111. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3148.2005.00239.x
National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD, 2017, January 31). What are common symptoms of Down Syndrome? https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/Down/conditioninfo/symptoms
Marks, B., Sisirak, J. & Heller, T. (2010). Health Matters: The Exercise and Nutrition Health Education Curriculum for People with Developmental Disabilities. Brookes Publishing Company.
ThinkCollege (n.d.). Think College Search. https://thinkcollege.net/college-search
Tschannen-Moran, M. & McMaster, P. (2009). Sources of self-efficacy: Four professional development formats and their relationship to self-efficacy and implementation of a new teaching strategy. The elementary school journal, 110(2), 228-245. https://doi.org/10.1086/605771
Tyrer, F., Ling, S., Bhaumik, S., Gangadharan, S.K., Khunti, K., Gray, L.J. & Dunkley, A.J. (2020). Diabetes in adults with intellectual disability: prevalence and associated demographic, lifestyle, independence and health factors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 64(4), 287-295. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12718
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Chih Chia Chen, Alice Walker, Kendall Collins, Holeh Heydari, Soyoun Lim, Pamela Kulinna
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
