Swim, Strength, or Combined Programs: Effect on Health-Related Physical Fitness in Adolescents With Down Syndrome.

The adolescent population with Down syndrome (DS) appears to show higher levels of body fat and lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness or muscle strength than their peers without disabilities. There is a need to create physical activity programs to improve these data. The aim of this research was to determine the effects of a 16-week swimming program, strength program, and combined program (swimming and strength training) on body composition and health-related physical fitness on adolescents with DS and to assess whether there are differences in the results of the different training programs. Forty-five adolescents (17 female and 28 male; average age 15.5 [1.53] years) with DS were recruited and randomized to three groups (swim [n = 15], strength [n = 15], and combined [n = 15]). Results showed that the swim group had significant improvements in all health-related physical fitness variables and there was an improvement in some body-composition variables (p < .05). The strength and combined groups obtained minor improvements in the variables analyzed. In summary, a 16-week swim program consisting of three sessions of 60 min is able to improve levels of body composition and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with DS. The swim training program seems to be more effective in improving body composition and health-related physical fitness than the strength or combined program. These findings could be useful in different special-education centers due to the predisposition shown by the population with DS to this sport modality.

Effectiveness of exergames programme to modify body composition and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with down syndrome after COVID-19 quarantine.

AIMS: to determine the effect of a 20-week exergame program on different indicators of body composition and components of health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods and Procedures Outcomes: 49 adolescents (19 female and 30 males; average age, 14.19 ± 2.06 years) with Down syndrome were recruited and randomized to two groups (control group vs. intervention group). Adolescents allocated in the control group carried out a physical activity program three times a week for 20 weeks meanwhile adolescents allocated in the exercise group performed an exergame program three times a week for 20 weeks. RESULTS: The exercise group had significant improvements in all health-related physical fitness variables and there is an improvement in some body composition variables (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: 20 week exergame program consisting of 3 sessions of 60 minutes is able to improve levels of body composition and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome.Highlights Research in body composition and health-related physical fitness of people with Down syndrome has revealed that an exergame programme increases levels of health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndromeAn exergame programme can improve differences in markers of body composition between the control group and the intervention groupThe intervention group that performed the exergame programme showed increases in health-related physical fitness levels after 20 weeks of intervention.The control group that performed a based on developing motor behaviour programme did not show differences in body composition or health-related physical fitness after 20 weeks of intervention.

Prospective Associations of Physical Activity and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Adolescents with Down Syndrome: The UP&DOWN Longitudinal Study.

(1) Background: Numerous studies have focused on examining the association between PA levels and health-related physical fitness components in children or adolescents without disabilities. However, research on the association between PA and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with DS (Down syndrome) is limited, and most of the previous studies have been developed with a cross-sectional perspective. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the prospective association of accelerometer-based PA at baseline with health-related physical fitness at a 2-year follow-up in a relatively large sample of adolescents with DS from the UP&DOWN study. (2) Methods: A total of 92 adolescents with DS (58 males) between 11 and 20 years old with full data were eligible from an initial sample of 110 participants. Fitness was assessed by the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery for youth, and physical activity was assessed by Actigraph accelerometers. (3) Results: The high tertile of total PA was related to decreased motor (Beta [95% CI] = -1.46 [-2.88; -0.05]) and cardiorespiratory fitness (Beta [95% CI] = -2.22 [-4.42; 0.02]) in adolescents with DS. (4) Conclusions: In adolescents with DS, (i) PA level was not prospectively associated with muscular fitness and (ii) high levels of total PA at the baseline were inversely associated with motor and cardiorespiratory fitness at the 2-year follow-up. For comparative purposes, these relationships were also examined in a subsample of adolescents without DS.

The effect of swimming program on body composition levels in adolescents with Down syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Down syndrome has been associated with more than 80 clinical characteristics such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems or obesity. AIMS: The current study determined the effect of a 36 weeks swimming program on different indicators of body composition in adolescents with Down syndrome. METHODS AND PROCEDURES OUTCOMES: 45 adolescents with Down syndrome were recruited and randomized to two groups (control group vs. exercise group). Adolescents allocated in the control group carried out a recreational swimming program twice a week during 36 weeks meanwhile adolescents allocated in the exercise group did exercise three time a week during 36 weeks. BMI, Waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and thigh skinfold were measured. RESULTS: ANCOVA tests were used to evaluate differences between groups in post-test intervention. Repeated measures of ANOVA were performed in order to assess differences in pre-test intervention in each group. t test were carried out to compare the pre-post-intervention differences in physical characteristics and body composition within each group. The exercise group had significant improvements in all variables of body composition (p < 0.05) except in subscapular and thigh skinfold. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest that a 36 weeks swimming program consisting of 3 sessions of 50 minutes is able to decrease levels of body composition in a sample of adolescents with Down syndrome. The findings indicate that it would be important to generate high intensity sports programs in sports associations in order to obtain positive impact on body composition levels within this population.

Changes in Body Composition and Physical Fitness in Adolescents with Down Syndrome: The UP&DOWN Longitudinal Study.

Background: Adolescents with Down syndrome (DS) demonstrate higher values of body composition and lower levels of physical fitness when compared with their peers with typically developing (TD) or their peers with intellectual disability but without DS. Objective: To examine, during a 2-year period, changes in indicators of body composition and physical fitness components in TD adolescents and adolescents with DS. Methods: Hundred adolescents with DS (64 males) aged 11-20 years old were matched by sex to 163 TD adolescents (108 males) aged 12-18. Indicators of body composition were determined by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, skinfolds, and percentage of body fat (%BF). Components of physical fitness were assessed by the Assessing Level of Physical Activity (ALPHA) health-related fitness test battery for youth. Results: In the 2-year follow-up, significant (p < 0.05) decreases in BMI and increases in cardiorespiratory fitness and handgrip strength were seen for both groups; decreases in %BF were only seen for participants with DS; and increases in standing long jump were seen only for TD adolescents. Conclusions: Results indicate that during the 2-year study period, there were significant decreases in BMI and significant increases in handgrip strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in the TD group. For participants with DS, there was a significant decrease in %BF. However, participants with DS did not exhibit improvements in physical fitness.