THE IMPACTS OF INCLUSIVE FITNESS ACTIVITIES ON CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY (ID) IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM

D. Bernhardt Bainbridge^1,2, M. Sadowsky³, M. Klock¹, M. Forquer¹

Background: People with ID face significant challenges in accessing quality healthcare and fitness opportunities, resulting in health disparities.  Special Olympics (SO) Health focuses on improving the physical and social-emotional well-being of people with ID by increasing inclusion in healthcare and fitness opportunities.

Purpose: The purpose is to discuss the concepts and impacts of Inclusive Fitness in schools around the globe on students with and without ID.  

Methods: Schools were presented with a Special Olympics Fitness Guide that outlines models for fitness suitable for all ages.  The school chooses the fitness model or combination of models most appropriate for their students.  Models include Unified Fitness Clubs (year round physical activity program for all ages and abilities, using activity trackers and incentives for people with and without ID) , Fit Families and Friends (6 week fitness challenge for athletes, families and friends), SOfit (8 week class combining physical activity, nutrition and social-emotional wellness for people with and without ID), and Fit 5 (resources to achieve personal best through 5 days exercise, 5 fruits and vegetables and 5 bottles water daily).  These programs foster development of healthy physical and social/emotional fitness, nutrition, and hydration, as well as help meet school, state and national physical education and health standards.  Schools are encouraged to assess student wellness (BMI, BP, HR, Grip Strength, Six-Minute Walk Test) as baselines before programming.

Results: SO Health has expanded into US schools by offering fitness programming through SO Unified Champion Schools, reaching thousands of students with and without ID across 400 schools in 20 SO Programs.  At least 30 international SO Programs have expanded fitness programming in schools.
Over 90% of school liaisons indicated a positive impact of fitness in schools on students with and without ID. Liaisons reported that programming gave students the opportunity to practice patience and empathy (27%), build relationships (26%), and gain confidence (18%).
Individual-level fitness measures also noted improvement. Data from 433 participants (48% with ID) demonstrated that nearly all groups made some improvements in hand grip strength after fitness programming. Substantial improvements were observed in the youngest age group (8-10 years), but grip strength nearly doubled after programming in all participants.
Average six-minute walk test improved by 41 meters in all participants, but most significant improvements were observed in those between 14-16 years (80+-meter increase in distance). These findings, indicative of increased total body strength and aerobic capacity, support the benefits of SO fitness programming for youth with and without ID.

Conclusion(s): Inclusive fitness activities in schools create positive physical and attitudinal changes in students with and without ID.  These activities, a normal component of school, provide a natural way to include those with ID in enjoyable skills and games.

Implications: Fitness promotes inclusion and offers leadership opportunities.  Changing attitudes and promoting inclusion at young ages is critical to promote lifelong inclusion of people with ID.

Funding, acknowledgements: Projects supported by cooperative agreement #5U59DD000995 from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and grant from the Golisano Foundation.

Keywords: Intellectual Disability, Schools, Inclusive Fitness

Topic: Intellectual disability

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Institution: Special Olympics International

Committee: Special Olympics Medical and Legal Departments

Reason: Anonymous data and analysis of innovative methods