A remotely-delivered pilot and feasibility program to promote physical and food literacy in adolescents with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Youth with intellectual disabilities experience disparities in physical activity and diet quality. Physical and food literacy are hypothesised to support adoption of healthy lifestyles; however, few such interventions have been developed for this population. METHOD: Participants with intellectual disabilities ages 12-16 years were recruited for a 12-week online sports skills and nutrition education intervention. Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy were assessed by attendance, satisfaction, and pre-post measures of motor skills, perceived competence and motivation for physical activity, classifying foods, making healthy choices, and food consumption. RESULTS: Six teens participated in the program and attended 87.5% of the sessions. Satisfaction data suggested that the program was well-received by both teens and parents. Trends toward improvements on physical activity and nutrition outcome measures were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary data from this pilot study suggest that physical and food literacy in youth with intellectual disabilities can be improved, which in turn may contribute to the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

The young athlete with physical challenges.

This article is intentionally broad in scope, as a result of a collaboration from the fields of primary care sports medicine, orthopedic surgery, and kinesiology. What has been borne out in the process is a true appreciation of the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach toward providing care for the young athlete with a physical disability. To name a few, joint involvement of parents, coaches, trainers, physical therapists, orthotists, prosthetists, wheelchair engineers, neurologists, physiatrists, nutritionists and most importantly, the athletes themselves, should be further encouraged because each discipline provides a unique perspective in the identification and management of health-related issues. It is the intent of this article to provide readers with at least some new insight that they can carry into their future practice.

Prediction of performance on the RCMP physical ability requirement evaluation.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police use the Physical Ability Requirement Evaluation (PARE) for screening applicants. The purposes of this investigation were to identify those field tests of physical fitness that were associated with PARE performance and determine which most accurately classified successful and unsuccessful PARE performers. The participants were 27 female and 21 male volunteers. Testing included measures of aerobic power, anaerobic power, agility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition. Multiple regression analysis revealed a three-variable model for males (70-lb bench press, standing long jump, and agility) explaining 79% of the variability in PARE time, whereas a one-variable model (agility) explained 43% of the variability for females. Analysis of the classification accuracy of the males' data was prohibited because 91% of the males passed the PARE. Classification accuracy of the females' data, using logistic regression, produced a two-variable model (agility, 1.5-mile endurance run) with 93% overall classification accuracy.