Conventional exercise interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

Cochrane) were searched to detect any randomized controlled trial (RCT) pertinent to conventional exercise trainings for adults with ID. Meta-analyses were being performed for studies reported results on the same outcome measures employing RevMan 5.3. Thirteen RCTs involving 556 participants (56.7% men) entered the qualitative synthesis and eleven the meta-analyses. The effect of exercise was superior to controls (no exercise prescription) on several cardiovascular variables (peak oxygen uptake, MD 2.89, 95%CI 0.35;5.42, I 2 = 69%; heart rate peak, MD 4.64, 95%CI 2.15;7.14, I 2 = 7%; maximal exercise capacity, SMD 0.55, 95%CI 0.03;1.08, I 2 = 67%; systolic blood pressure, MD −9.62, 95%CI −17.07;-2.18, I 2 = 40%), without differences in diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol. None of the anthropometric and body composition variables, six-minute walking test distance and handgrip strength values revealed significant changes at the follow-up. In adults with IDs, conventional exercise training substantially improves cardiovascular fitness and exercise capacity, while it seems of limited effectiveness on anthropometric and body composition variables.

Effects of Aquatic Interventions on Physical Health Indicators in People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Review

“…It is well known that regular physical activity contributes to maintaining and improving the functional abilities in people with or without IDs [6,7]. Regular exercise of sufficient duration (≥12 weeks), intensity (≥50 VO 2 peak), time (≥45 min), and frequency (≥2 times/week) significantly improves cardiovascular fitness and exercise capacity; however, such exercise seems to be of limited effectiveness with respect to anthropometric and body composition variables [8].…”

Impact of Prescribed Exercise on the Physical and Cognitive Health of Adults with Down Syndrome: The MinDSets Study

“…A meta-analysis [11] of thirteen randomised controlled trials involving 556 participants from the DS community highlighted that following prescribed exercise interventions, cardiorespiratory fitness, evidenced by changes in both maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2max ) and heart rate max (HR max ), exhibited significant responses that favoured the intervention over control. Those findings are further supported by an earlier study [12], which highlighted that people with DS experienced large effects in favour of the exercise intervention in relation to body mass and waist circumference.…”