Assessment of Objectively Measured Physical Activity Levels in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities with and without Down's Syndrome
Open Access
- 21 December 2011
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in PLOS ONE
- Vol. 6 (12), e28618
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028618
Abstract
To investigate, using accelerometers, the levels of physical activity being undertaken by individuals with intellectual disabilities with and without Down's syndrome. One hundred and fifty two individuals with intellectual disabilities aged 12–70 years from East and South-East England. Physical activity levels in counts per minute (counts/min), steps per day (steps/day), and minutes of sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) measured with a uni-axial accelerometer (Actigraph GT1M) for seven days. No individuals with intellectual disabilities met current physical activity recommendations. Males were more active than females. There was a trend for physical activity to decline and sedentary behaviour to increase with age, and for those with more severe levels of intellectual disability to be more sedentary and less physically active, however any relationship was not significant when adjusted for confounding variables. Participants with Down's syndrome engaged in significantly less physical activity than those with intellectual disabilities without Down's syndrome and levels of activity declined significantly with age. Individuals with intellectual disabilities, especially those with Down's syndrome may be at risk of developing diseases associated with physical inactivity. There is a need for well-designed, accessible, preventive health promotion strategies and interventions designed to raise the levels of physical activity for individuals with intellectual disabilities. We propose that there are physiological reasons why individuals with Down's syndrome have particularly low levels of physical activity that also decline markedly with age.Keywords
This publication has 42 references indexed in Scilit:
- Reduced exercise capacity in persons with Down syndrome: cause, effect, and managementTherapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, 2010
- Mitochondrial dysfunction in some oxidative stress-related genetic diseases: Ataxia-Telangiectasia, Down Syndrome, Fanconi Anaemia and Werner SyndromeBiogerontology, 2010
- Confusion and Conflict in Assessing the Physical Activity Status of Middle-Aged MenPLOS ONE, 2009
- Comparing the performance of three generations of ActiGraph accelerometersJournal of Applied Physiology, 2008
- Physical Activity in the United States Measured by AccelerometerMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2008
- Body mass index cut offs to define thinness in children and adolescents: international surveyBMJ, 2007
- Physical Activity of Adults with Mental Retardation: Review and Research NeedsAmerican Journal of Health Promotion, 2006
- Physical activity patterns in children with and without Down syndromePediatric Rehabilitation, 2006
- Physical activity of adults with intellectual disabilityJournal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 2003
- Correlates of adults??? participation in physical activity: review and updateMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2002