'Moving on and feeling good': a feasibility study to explore the lifestyle behaviours of young adults with intellectual disabilities as they transition from school to adulthood-a study protocol.

Fiona Mitchell,Craig Melville,Andrew Jahoda,Catherine Hankey,Heather Murray,Lynsay Matthews

doi:10.1186/s40814-015-0044-9

Abstract

BackgroundThe transition from adolescence to adulthood is a ‘high-risk’ period for weight gain in the general population. There is speculation that this may also be a risk period for adults with intellectual disabilities; however, there has been no research which has monitored change in health indicators. Since adults with intellectual disabilities have higher rates of obesity and engage in more sedentary behaviour and less physical activity than the general population, there is a need to understand more about the lifestyle behaviours of this population during the transition to adulthood. This protocol paper will provide details of the moving on and feeling good feasibility study, designed for young people with intellectual disabilities.Methods/designA multi-point recruitment strategy will be used to recruit 30 participants with a mild-moderate level of intellectual disability. The aim of the feasibility study is to examine the feasibility of recruitment, participant retention and the measurement of relevant health behaviour outcomes. The study will assess the feasibility of monitoring weight, diet and physical activity levels in adolescents over a 12-month transitional period from school to adult life. This mixed method study will provide insight into the lives of young people with intellectual disabilities and will examine the use of Walker et al.’s social-ecological approach to promote self-determination specific to lifestyle behaviours, during this transition period. Baseline data will be collected during the final year of school, with follow-up data collection at 6 and 12 months. Anthropometric (weight, height, waist and hip circumference), objective physical activity measures (7-day accelerometer wear) and dietary and choice measures will be collected at each time point to assess the feasibility of measuring diet patterns, food frequency, physical activity and BMI. Furthermore, ten participants will be selected for short semi-structured scoping interviews at baseline and 12-month follow-up, to gain information on psychological, social and environmental factors which might affect behaviour change.DiscussionThe outcomes from the feasibility study will aid the development and piloting of a sufficiently powered randomised controlled trial. This would allow us to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of a lifestyle behaviour intervention, over a 5-year transition period.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40814-015-0044-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Highlights

The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a ‘high-risk’ period for weight gain in the general population
In keeping with phases one and two of the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework, this study proposes to examine the feasibility of recruitment, participant retention and the measurement of relevant outcomes
Measuring self-determination We have reviewed measures of self-determination used in studies involving individuals with intellectual disabilities

Summary

Discussion

While there is a strong evidence base which suggests that the transition from school to adulthood is a highrisk period for weight gain in the general population, there is no current evidence to support this contention with the intellectual disability population. There are no published feasibility studies examining the lifestyle behaviours of young people with intellectual disabilities during their transition to adulthood. Authors’ information The authors are all from the University of Glasgow, within the Institute of Health and Wellbeing: FM is a health psychologist whose main research interests are behaviour change interventions with hard to reach populations; CM is a senior lecturer in Learning Disabilities Psychiatry and has led a range of physical activity, walking and sedentary behaviour studies with individuals with intellectual disabilities; AJ is a professor of Learning Disabilities who has led a range of studies about the mental health and wellbeing of people with intellectual disabilities; CH is a senior lecturer in Human Nutrition whose research spans clinical and public health aspects of obesity and weight management and the development and evaluation of approaches to optimise dietary intakes in health and disease; LM is an exercise physiologist who specialises in lifestyle behaviour change, in particular the use of physical activity in the management of type 2 diabetes; and HM is a consultant statistician who has worked on a broad range of trials in this field

Background

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