A school-based intervention associated with improvements in cardiometabolic risk profiles in young people with intellectual disabilities

• Published in: Journal of intellectual disabilities 2013-03, Vol.17 (1), p.38-50
• Main Authors: Wallén, Eva Flygare, Müllersdorf, Maria, Christensson, Kyllike, Marcus, Claude
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; At Risk Persons; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Body fat; Body Weight; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cardiovascular Diseases - therapy; Comparative Analysis; Educational Environment; Environmental Influences; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Female; Fitness; Food; Foreign Countries; Health Promotion; Heart Disorders; Humans; Intellectual deficiency; Intellectual Disability; Intellectual Disability - metabolism; Intellectual Disability - physiopathology; Intellectual Disability - therapy; Intervention; Kardiologi; Klinisk medicin; Life Style; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Metabolic Diseases - prevention & control; Metabolic Diseases - therapy; Metabolism; Obesity; Pedagogik; Physical activity; Physical Activity Level; Physical Fitness; Physical Fitness - physiology; Prevention; Program Effectiveness; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Randomized Controlled Trials; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk Factors; Samhällsvetenskap; School based; Schools - organization & administration; Secondary School Students; Secondary schools; Statistical Analysis; Sweden; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Utbildningsvetenskap
• ISSN: 1744-6295; 1744-6309; 1744-6309
• DOI: 10.1177/1744629512472116

This study evaluates a multifactorial school-based intervention with the aim of decreasing cardiometabolic risk factors by means of a healthy lifestyle, primarily with daily physical activity and healthy food during school hours, at an upper secondary school for students with intellectual disabilities. The outcome is measured in terms of cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular fitness, both known to increase the risk of future cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Two years of intervention resulted in a positive trend in several measured cardiometabolic risk factors, with no increase in fat mass. Cardiovascular fitness levels were unchanged. We conclude that a healthy school environment can contribute to a deceleration of both fat mass gain and loss of cardiovascular fitness.