Physical health effects of sedentary behaviour on adults with an intellectual disability: A scoping review

Abstract

This literature review was designed to establish the effects of sedentary behaviour on the physical health of adults with an intellectual disability. Sedentary behaviour is defined as any waking behaviour characterized by an energy expenditure of ≤1.5 METs while in a sitting, lying or reclining posture. An extensive search was executed in six databases: EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ASSIA and Web of Science. Following screening, 18 articles remained for inclusion in the review. A thematic analysis using the Braun and Clarke six step process resulted in the identification of seven broad health areas. Studies showed a prevalence of obesity, multimorbidity and metabolic syndrome as well as elevated levels of sedentary behaviour in adults with an intellectual disability. This literature review demonstrated that sedentary behaviour could be a contributor to the poor health which is common in adults with an intellectual disability. However to date the body of evidence does not confirm a cause-and-effect relationship.

The causality of physical activity status and intelligence: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

“…Falck et al [ 37 ] reported that SB was associated with poorer cognitive performance, yet failed to observe a significant association between the sedentary duration and the incidence of all-cause dementia. In a systematic review of intellectual disability, the authors did not find a causal relationship between sedentary behavior and cognition [ 38 ]. More interestingly, Bakrania’s study found that the behavioral content accompanying SB was more closely related to the cognitive level of older adults.…”

Objective measurement required to disentangle health effects of sedentary behaviour versus physical activity on adults with intellectual disability

“…The authors performed a literature search in six databases to identify relevant articles published from 1997 to 2021 2. The research question was ‘What are the physical health effects of sedentary behaviour on adults with ID’?…”

“…As a group, adults with intellectual disability (ID) experience high multimorbidity levels and excess premature mortality 1. A scoping review by Lynch et al 2 summarised 18 cross-sectional studies on the effects of sedentary behaviour and physical activity levels in adults with ID on several health areas known to give rise to a high disease burden in this target group: metabolic syndrome, overweight and obesity, multimorbidity, cardiovascular disease and a lower general health status.…”

Barriers to physical activity participation for adults with intellectual disability: A cross‐sectional study

“…Individuals with intellectual disabilities and sedentary lifestyles are highly likely to develop metabolic syndrome (48.6%), be overweight or obese (69%–87%), and exhibit elevated osteopenia and osteoporosis risks (30%–40%). Moreover, the prevalence of multimorbidity (79%) is high in this population (Lynch et al, 2022; Olsen et al, 2021).…”

“…Extended periods of sedentary behaviour in the general population have been linked to elevated risks of all‐cause mortality, heightened metabolic risk factors, and an increased incidence of various health issues, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer (Biswas et al, 2015; Patterson et al, 2018). However, a similar body of evidence has yet to be established for individuals with intellectual disabilities, mainly because of a lack of research in the field (Lynch et al, 2022; Melville et al, 2018). Individuals with intellectual disabilities and sedentary lifestyles are highly likely to develop metabolic syndrome (48.6%), be overweight or obese (69%–87%), and exhibit elevated osteopenia and osteoporosis risks (30%–40%).…”