Improvements in biometric health measures among individuals with intellectual disabilities: A controlled evaluation of the Fit 5 program.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have poorer health statuses compared to the general population. Actions are needed to address health disparities and promote healthy lifestyles among individuals with ID. Moreover, studies that consider program settings for this population are needed. OBJECTIVE: The Special Olympics health program, Fit 5, was evaluated to assess effectiveness in improving health measures for individuals with ID. The settings of programs' implementation were also considered. METHODS: Four Special Olympics basketball teams participated as an intervention group, and three teams as a control group, in a study of the Fit 5 program that was implemented during, and as part of, a regular 8-week basketball season. Resting heart rate (RHR) and blood pressure, and height and weight to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), were measured before and after the program. Differences in pre- and post-measures were compared between the two groups with paired samples t-tests and ANCOVA. RESULTS: Participants in the intervention group had significantly greater improvements in resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively) and RHR (p = 0.003). BMI increased for both groups; however, the increase in the intervention group was significantly less (p = 0.006). The Special Olympics setting was considered familiar and supportive and effectively reached individuals with ID. CONCLUSION: The Fit 5 program positively impacts RHR and blood pressure, and could help reduce extents of BMI increases, in individuals with ID when implemented in a common setting. Further investigation of the impact of Fit 5 and similar programs in additional settings is warranted.

Improving tobacco-free advocacy on college campuses: a novel strategy to aid in the understanding of student perceptions about policy proposals.

OBJECTIVE: Tobacco-control policy proposals are usually met with opposition on college campuses. Research to understand students' viewpoints about health-related policy proposals and messaging strategies, however, does not exist. This study investigated students' perceptions about a smoke-free policy proposal to help understand their positions of support and opposition and to inform the development of effective messaging strategies. PARTICIPANTS: In January 2012, 1,266 undergraduate students from a midwestern university completed an online questionnaire about smoke-free campus policies. METHODS: Responses were coded and analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software and chi-square, independent-samples t tests, and binary logistic models. RESULTS: Most students who supported a smoke-free policy considered environmental or aesthetic conditions, whereas most opponents used personal freedom frames of thought. Supporters viewed smoking policies in personal terms, and opponents suggested means-ends policy reasoning. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, points of reference and emotions about proposed policies provided insight about participants' perspectives to help inform effective policy advocacy efforts.

Parent participation in weight-related health interventions for children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To review child and adolescent weight-related health intervention characteristics, with a particular focus on levels of parental participation, and examine differences in intervention effectiveness. METHODS: Multiple social science, health, and medical databases were searched, and experimental randomized controlled studies of child and adolescent weight-related health interventions, reported in January 2004 through December 2010, were collected. Intervention characteristics were reviewed, and pre- and post-measurement data, including body mass index, were extracted for analyses. Differences in effect sizes of experimental and control groups were used to evaluate effectiveness of interventions. RESULTS: Reports of 42 interventions were included. Intervention activities consisted of nutrition education, physical activity education, physical activity sessions, behavior education, behavior therapy, or a combination of these activities. Significant differences existed among levels of parent participation, p<0.05. In addition, intervention duration positively predicted intervention effectiveness, p=0.006, and the linear combination of parent participation and intervention duration significantly predicted intervention effectiveness, p=0.001. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that weight-related health interventions that require parent participation more effectively reduce body mass indexes of child and adolescent participants. In addition, longer interventions that include parent participation appear to have greater success. Suggestions for future research and related interventions are provided.