Physical Activity Levels of Children and Adolescents With Moderate-to-Severe Intellectual Disability

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-11-2018

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities

Volume

32

Issue

1

First page number:

131

Last page number:

142

Abstract

Background: Regular participation of children and adolescents with intellectual disa-bilites in physical activity is important to maintain good health and to acquire motor skills. The aim of this study was to investigate the habitual physical activity in these children. Methods: Sixty- eight children and adolescents (2–18 years) with a moderate- to- severe intellectual disability were included in the analyses. They wore an accelerom-eter on eight consecutive days. Data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The participants took on average 6,677 ± 2,600 steps per day, with intensity of 1,040 ± 431 counts per minute. In total, 47% of the participants were meeting physical activity recommendations. Low motor development was associated with low physical activity. Conclusions: As more than half of the participants were not meeting the recommen-dations, family and caregivers of these children should focus on supporting and mo-tivating them to explore and expand their physical activities.

Keywords

Accelerometry; Intellectual disability; Moderate to vigorous physical activity; Motor development; Physical activity

Disciplines

Disability Studies | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Language

English

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