The effects of physical activity interventions on preventing weight gain and the effects on body composition in young adults with intellectual disabilities: systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Summary The aim of this study was to examine the literature on randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of physical activity interventions to prevent weight gain and the effects on body composition in young adults with intellectual disabilities.A systematic search of Medline, Emabse, CINHAL, PsychINFO, Cochrane library and ERIC was conducted from 1946 to September 2014. Eligibility criteria included; randomized controlled trials of a physical activity intervention: objective measure of body weight and body composition; young adults (age range 16–24 years) with intellectual disabilities. Six studies met the eligibility criteria. The interventions varied in their prescription of physical activity including aerobic and strength‐based activities. The mean duration of the interventions was 15.3 (range 10–21 weeks). There was no significant effect of physical activity interventions on body weight (weighted mean difference: −0.17 kg, 95% confidence interval, −1.04 kg to 0.72 kg) and body composition outcomes. The meta‐analysis showed that physical activity interventions did not prevent weight gain in young adults with intellectual disabilities. Published studies are inadequate to form firm conclusions. Future longer term studies of interventions specifically designed for this population group are required to elucidate the effects of physical activity interventions on body composition and the prevention of weight gain in young adults with intellectual disabilities.

Barriers to increasing the physical activity of people with intellectual disabilities

“…Previous research clearly documents that this service user group tends to be even less active than the general population (Emerson, ; Finlayson et al ., ). A recent systematic review highlighted the need for research that considers the barriers that may prevent service users with intellectual disabilities taking part in regular physical activity (Harris et al ., ). This study offers a preliminary understanding of three barriers that hindered increasing activity levels: (i) acceptance of current levels of inactivity, (ii) rendering physical activity a low priority compared to other activities both in timetabling and in resource allocation, and (iii) issues regarding communication and the appropriate format for physical activity.…”

“…Family carers were predominantly older adults caring for their adult offspring, so they did not feel able to take the lead on promoting physical activity in the family. Nor did it help that the service users were obese, for obesity limits people's physical abilities (Finlayson et al ., ; Harris et al ., ; Murray, ). The view of physical activity as a special task that required special arrangements mirrors other findings that participants considered a healthy diet to involve going on a diet which necessitated eating special foods and avoiding other foods (Cartwright et al ., ).…”

The feasibility of using pedometers for self‐report of steps and accelerometers for measuring physical activity in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across an 18‐month intervention

“…While physical activity is considered important for weight management in the general population, there is limited literature to suggest that increased physical activity will help to reduce weight in adults with IDD. A recent review by Harris et al () indicates that physical activity interventions did not significantly change body weight or BMI in young adults with IDD. Possible explanations for the limited effects of physical activity interventions could be attributed to the ‘dose’ of physical activity prescribed in some interventions.…”

“…Physical activity is considered an important strategy to promote weight loss because of its pivotal role in energy balance and the regulation of body weight through increased energy expenditure (Donnelly et al 2009;Harris et al 2015). However, adults with IDDs are less physically active than the general population (Rimmer et al 1995;Rimmer et al 2004;Melville et al 2007a;Spanos et al 2013;Harris et al 2015). A review by Melville et al (2007b) found that only 8-16% of adults with IDD met criteria for a physically active lifestyle, compared with 20-37% of the general population.…”

Self-Reported Participation in Sport/Exercise Among Adolescents and Young Adults With and Without Mild to Moderate Intellectual Disability

“…Adolescents with intellectual disability are also less likely than other children to have someone with whom to do physical activity, and more likely to perceive that physical activities are too hard to learn 50 . Future studies should take into account these multiple barriers and aim to overcome the difficulties people with intellectual disability experience in participating in physical activity 51 .…”