Evaluation of a Cardiovascular Health Program for Participants with Mental Retardation and Normal Learners

An evaluation was conducted to compare the impact of an 8-week cardiovascular disease risk reduction group teaching program for 92 individuals with mental retardation (MR; IQ less than 70) and 97 normal learners. The curriculum emphasized exercise, nutritional choices, and stress reduction. Body Mas...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health education & behavior 2004-02, Vol.31 (1), p.77-87
Main Authors: Ewing, Gary, McDermott, Suzanne, Thomas-Koger, Marlo, Whitner, Wendy, Pierce, Kristen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Biological and medical sciences
Body Composition
Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases - complications
Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control
Diet
Eating behavior
Eating Habits
Education of Intellectually Disabled - methods
Exercise
Feeding Behavior
Health
Health Education - methods
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Programs
Health Promotion - methods
Health risks
Humans
Intellectual disabilities
Intellectual Disability - complications
Intellectual Disability - psychology
Intervention
Interviews as Topic
Learning
Medical sciences
Mental Retardation
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Nutrition
Prevention and actions
Preventive Medicine
Program Effectiveness
Program Evaluation
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Risk
Scientific Concepts
Stress Management
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Summary:An evaluation was conducted to compare the impact of an 8-week cardiovascular disease risk reduction group teaching program for 92 individuals with mental retardation (MR; IQ less than 70) and 97 normal learners. The curriculum emphasized exercise, nutritional choices, and stress reduction. Body Mass Index (BMI; weight in kilograms, divided by height in meters, squared), knowledge of healthy eating choices, self-report of fruit and vegetable intake, and exercise were measured before and after the intervention. The mean BMI decreased by .89 for normal learners and not at all for the group with MR. However, BMI decreased by at least .75 units (or approximately 5 pounds) for 18.5% of individuals with MR and 44.3% of normal learners.
ISSN:1090-1981
1552-6127
DOI:10.1177/1090198103259162